Veendam Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In the early hours of August 29, 2013, at approximately 2 a.m., the tanker 'Veendam' collided with the Dorkwerder Bridge, which spans the Van Starkenborgh Canal located to the northeast of Groningen, Netherlands. This unfortunate event prompted immediate closures of both the canal and the bridge to facilitate thorough inspections by local authorities. Fortunately, the vessel itself sustained minimal damage, while the bridge experienced significant bending as a result of the impact. By 5 p.m. the same day, following the completion of inspections, the bridge was safely reopened to traffic. Investigations revealed that a communication error between the bridge guard and the tanker was the root cause of this incident. For further details, you can refer to the Dutch news reports featuring photographs of the incident available at RTV Noord: [Article 1](http://www.rtvnoord.nl/artikel/artikel.asp?p=113499) and [Article 2](http://www.rtvnoord.nl/artikel/artikel.asp?p=124265).

In the early hours of September 14, 2012, the tanker 'Veendam' collided with the Dorkwerder Bridge, which crosses the Van Starkenborgh Canal near Dorkwerd, just north of Groningen. The allision prompted an immediate closure of both the canal and the bridge, halting all ship and vehicle movements as authorities assessed the extent of the bridge damage. Fortunately, the 'Veendam', which was transporting hazardous materials, sustained minimal harm. The incident has been attributed to a miscommunication between the vessel's captain and the bridge personnel, as reported by the owners, Verenigde Tankrederij Rotterdam. For further details, you can view the Dutch report with accompanying images at http://www.rtv-noord.nl/artikel/artikel.asp?p=113499.