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Last cargo remnants unloaded

The feed load of the 'Fox' the phosphine of which seriously poisoned a couple from De Waardt in the port of Ouderkerk pon IJssel start of December, was finally unloaded in the afternoon of Jan 24, 2020, in Amsterdam's Mercurius Port. The 'Barbarossa' received the last remnants of the notorious cargo, originally from the Liberian bulk carrier 'Smarta', 9986 gt (IMO: 9396567).

Skipper couple in intensive care after contact with toxic gas

A skipper couple who had been in contact with large quantities of toxic gas in the cargo hold of the 'Fox', 508 ts (ENI-No.: 02313718), for hours ended up in intensive care on Dec 4, 2019. The fire brigade took the husband and his wife from board in Nieuwegein. Both skippers spent the first few days in intensive care at a hospital in Nieuwegein. The woman was in a bad state and therefore she has been transferred to the University Medical Center Utrecht and wa being kept in a coma. Measurements in the cargo showed that the concentration of phosphine (rat poison) was 15 ppm, much higher than the safe standard of 0.2 ppm. RIVM measurements showed that the phosphine concentration was indeed too high. The ship was still on the Lek in Nieuwegein, but according to the fire department there was no danger to the environment. According to the ASV, the ship was loaded with sunflower meal pellets, which are used as animal feed. In order to keep insects and other vermin away, substances are added. The 'Fox' has collected the cargo of feed from a company in Amsterdam. The food came from the cargo m/v 'Smarta' which had arrived at Amsterdam coming from Yuzhniy with a cargo of sunflower animal feed on Nov 27. The cargo of the vessel was first examined for harmful substances and only then transferred to other ships. It was not clear whether something went wrong with this measurement. Other ships that have taken over cargo from the same seagoing vessel have been traced and warned by Rijkswaterstaat and the SZW Inspectorate. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate was also conducting an investigation. The problem concerned 17 ships. By order of the SZW Inspectorate, five ships were no longer allowed to sail. The 'Smarta' left Amsterdam on Dec 4, bound to Riga with an ETA as of Dec 10. Dutch reports with photos: https://nos.nl/artikel/2313633-schippersechtpaar-op-intensive-care-door-giftig-gas-in-lading.html https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/hier-is-alles-fout-gegaan-zegt-expert-over-rattengif-drama-schip~a8457321/