Brussels Post

United in Diversity
Friday, May 09, 2025

Fuel Oil Spill at ArcelorMittal Plant Affects Ghent-Terneuzen Canal

Fuel Oil Spill at ArcelorMittal Plant Affects Ghent-Terneuzen Canal

Emergency teams respond to a significant fuel oil leak from a heating installation at the Ghent steel plant, temporarily disrupting maritime traffic.
GHENT – An incident at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Ghent resulted in a substantial fuel oil spill into the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, triggering a coordinated emergency response.

Last night, an employee detected a leak from a broken heating system, leading to fuel oil entering the canal via a sewer, spreading across a one-kilometre section.

Upon notification at approximately 1:30 a.m., local fire brigade personnel utilized oil containment measures to isolate the spill area.

Specialized teams then commenced the clean-up operations, employing skimmers to remove heavier fractions of the fuel oil from the water.

Maritime traffic faced brief service interruptions as vessels adjusted their routes to navigate around the containment barriers established by emergency services.

Björn Bryon from the fire brigade provided details on the operational response, indicating that both lighter and heavier fractions of the oil were addressed through targeted recovery methods.

The Ghent-Terneuzen Canal is integral to the port's operations, which have seen industrial activities since the late 19th century, evolving into a significant hub for steel, chemicals, and automotive manufacturing.

While incidents such as this are not uncommon given the nature of the port's activities, they highlight ongoing safety challenges associated with managing hazardous materials in industrial environments.

Previous incidents in the port region include a bulk carrier fire in June 2022 while loading scrap metal, which prompted an emergency response but resulted in no injuries.

The local port authorities have been working on implementing sustainable practices, such as constructing new quay walls aimed at enhancing safety, reducing road traffic, and minimizing emissions associated with industrial operations.

These efforts reflect a continued commitment to improving safety standards alongside advancing industrial infrastructure in Ghent's port area.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
EU Hits TikTok with €530 Million Fine Over China Data Transfers
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
U.S. and Ukraine Poised to Sign Strategic Critical Minerals Deal Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky just held an impromptu discussion on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Peter Navarro: The Man Behind Trump’s Tariff Madness
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
Greek Christians Celebrate Easter in Thessaloníki
US Federal Reserve Chair Issues Warning on Tariff Impact
Australian National Charged as Mercenary for Fighting in Ukraine
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Alphabet Faces Antitrust Setbacks as Federal Judges Rule Against Google
US Billionaires Call for Higher Taxes, but Proposed 'Millionaires Tax' May Not Achieve Desired Outcome
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Designed in US, made in China: Why Apple is stuck in tariff tussle
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Australian Woman Gives Birth To Stranger's Baby In IVF Mix-up
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
California Launches Legal Challenge Against Trump Administration's Tariffs
"Groundless": China Dismisses Zelensky's Claims It's Supplying Arms To Russia
×