Explosion Near Europe’s Largest Port Leaves One Dead and Six Injured; Police Launch Investigation

One person was killed and six others were injured on Thursday in an explosion near the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The incident occurred at around 11:30 a.m. local time.

According to a spokesperson for Gunvor, a major energy products trading company, the incident occurred while maintenance work was being carried out on one of its storage tanks. The company said it was cooperating with local authorities.

Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Authorities said that, at this stage, there is no evidence that the incident was the result of sabotage, but all scenarios are being examined.

The Port of Rotterdam, the largest in Europe, is considered one of the main hubs for importing and storing crude oil and fuels.

The same area is also home to Shell’s Pernis plant, Europe’s largest oil refinery, which has a capacity of around 404,000 barrels per day. Refineries operated by BP, ExxonMobil and Vitol are also located there.

Shell said the explosion did not affect the company’s operations within the port.

Port authorities reported that liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals were also unaffected. However, ENTSOG data showed a temporary decline in gas supplies from Rotterdam’s Gate LNG terminal, followed by fluctuations in flows.

Markets would closely monitor any prolonged suspension of operations, as the Gate terminal is one of the main LNG import hubs in northwestern Europe. Ahead of the winter season, gas storage facilities in the Netherlands are currently around 40% full, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe.

Several power outages were recorded in different parts of the port during the day. Port of Rotterdam authorities clarified that the outages were unrelated to the explosion.