The Dutch Environmental Inspectorate (ILT) held a day of action in Rotterdam on March 26, 2025, according to the inspectorate’s website. There were 65 inspectors involved in this day of action. They checked documents, took measurements, took samples and conducted drone inspections.
In total, 75 inspections were carried out and 51 violations were found.
The violations ranged from leaks to cargo not being properly secured. The inspectors also found that not all of the required certificates were in order and that not all of the personnel involved had received the proper training.
Protecting people and the environment
Paul Weststeijn, who participated in the day’s activities, points out that in times of environmental pressure, rapid innovation and increasing traffic, it is not always evident to live in a clean, safe and healthy environment. That is why the Inspectorate monitors compliance with Dutch and European laws and regulations on hazardous substances and products.
“When it comes to dangerous substances, great care is expected of everyone who works with them. Even small amounts can be dangerous for people, animals and the environment. Unfortunately, this day of action shows once again that our supervision is urgently needed,” said Weststeijn.
Inland shipping inspections
The ILT carried out 11 inspections on the transport of dangerous goods by inland waterway vessels. Almost 10 violations were found and 3 administrative orders were applied. One skipper transported 4 containers of dangerous goods with his dry cargo vessel, but did not have an ADN certificate. An official report was issued. The ADN certificate proves that a skipper knows, among other things, the regulations that must be observed when transporting dangerous goods by water. The 4 containers were removed from the vessel.
Inspection on board sea-going vessels
During the action day, 13 RoRo inspections were conducted. A number of trailers used for RoRo transport were inspected. The trailers must comply with the dangerous goods legislation for sea transport. Various violations were found, with 3 trailers being stopped. In 1 trailer carrying both hazardous and non-hazardous substances, the non-hazardous substances were not secured properly and the hazardous substances were missing the mandatory labels on the outside. Cargo not properly stowed can slide due to the sea state, causing damage to the cargo of hazardous materials. This can lead to leaks, chemical reactions and, in the case of batteries, for example, to fire. In the event of an incident, emergency responders are at great risk if the proper notification of hazardous materials in the trailer are not in place.
Final remarks
Above we have shown some examples of what the ILT has published on its website. More inspections are expected in Rotterdam and other Dutch seaports in the near future. It is therefore important for both skippers in inland shipping and captains of sea-going vessels to have their affairs in order. Of course, shipowners, charterers and shippers also have their responsibilities in this regard.
For more information or assistance when inspectors come on board, contact:
correspondents@nnpc-correspondents.nl