August 25, 2025
On the evening of 20 August, the inland motor freighter River Drone 4 leaked around 10,000 litres of fuel oil while passing through the Olen Lock on Belgium’s Albert Canal.
The barge, a 106-metre-long, semi-autonomous vessel flagged in Belgium and operated by Naval Inland Navigation, sustained a 15 cm puncture above the waterline in one of its fuel tanks. The cause of the damage remains unknown. The leak created a fuel slick several kilometres long, spreading across the full width of the canal and forcing authorities to halt shipping traffic in the area.
Emergency crews and a specialised company were deployed immediately, using sorbent booms, vacuum systems, and filtration machines to contain and remove the oil.
While one of the three locks was cleared of residues overnight, cleaning continues at the remaining locks, and the Flemish Waterways Agency has not provided a timeline for full reopening.
Shipping remained suspended into the following days, with nearby industrial activity also disrupted.
Officials described the incident as a “significant pollution event” but stressed that the damage to the vessel was repairable and that Antwerp’s water supply was not at immediate risk.
The cleanup is ongoing, with the lock system currently holding back the remaining fuel to prevent further spread.
