Collision Involving Autonomous Barge Leads to Container Spill in RotterdamOn Thursday, December 5, Dutch media reported a collision between a container ship and an inland vessel on the Scheur River near Rotterdam, resulting in at least four containers falling into the water. One of the vessels involved is identified as an autonomous barge, one of the first of its kind globally. However, it remains unclear whether the vessel was operating in autonomous mode at the time of the incident.The collision occurred around 6:15 AM near Koning Willem-Alexander Boulevard in Maassluis, within the river channel leading to Rotterdam’s inner harbor. Both vessels remained afloat following the accident, but several containers went overboard. According to Rijnmond, at least four empty containers washed ashore on the Maassluis side of the river. The maintenance and salvage vessel Hebo Cat 7 was dispatched to recover the containers from the riverbank.
Maritime news outlets have identified one of the vessels as the River Drone 5, part of a fleet of 10 newly-delivered autonomous dry cargo barges operated by a Dutch firm. AIS data confirms that the River Drone 5 was present at the time and location of the collision and executed a turn after the incident. The barge’s owner and operator have been contacted for comments.The River Drone fleet represents one of Europe’s largest experiments in commercial remote-controlled shipping. These vessels, equipped with Seafar remote navigation technology, are designed for autonomous and remote-controlled operations. Each barge is approximately 100 meters long with a deadweight capacity of 3,850 tonnes, with the first entering service in January 2023.The Netherlands has recently updated its inland navigation regulations to facilitate testing autonomous systems in shipping. Starting January 1, 2025, it will be legal to operate commercial vessels on Dutch inland waterways entirely without crew. Until then, all operations—autonomous or otherwise—must comply with legal manning requirements in Dutch waters.This incident underscores that while autonomous vessels hold great promise for revolutionizing commercial transport, they are not immune to accidents. The event highlights the critical importance of safety procedures and regulations as the shipping industry continues to adopt and refine this groundbreaking technology.
Maritime news outlets have identified one of the vessels as the River Drone 5, part of a fleet of 10 newly-delivered autonomous dry cargo barges operated by a Dutch firm. AIS data confirms that the River Drone 5 was present at the time and location of the collision and executed a turn after the incident. The barge’s owner and operator have been contacted for comments.The River Drone fleet represents one of Europe’s largest experiments in commercial remote-controlled shipping. These vessels, equipped with Seafar remote navigation technology, are designed for autonomous and remote-controlled operations. Each barge is approximately 100 meters long with a deadweight capacity of 3,850 tonnes, with the first entering service in January 2023.The Netherlands has recently updated its inland navigation regulations to facilitate testing autonomous systems in shipping. Starting January 1, 2025, it will be legal to operate commercial vessels on Dutch inland waterways entirely without crew. Until then, all operations—autonomous or otherwise—must comply with legal manning requirements in Dutch waters.This incident underscores that while autonomous vessels hold great promise for revolutionizing commercial transport, they are not immune to accidents. The event highlights the critical importance of safety procedures and regulations as the shipping industry continues to adopt and refine this groundbreaking technology. 
