THE HAGUE, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A container ship from Belgium's Antwerp to Germany's Hamburg ran aground on the Western Scheldt near the village of Bath, southwest of the Netherlands, Safety Region Zeeland reported on Monday.
"The cause of the ship getting stranded is not yet known. There is no visible damage to the ship, and it is currently being checked which cargo is on the ship, but for now there is no acute danger for the surrounding area," a statement by Safety Region Zeeland read.
According to local media, the stranded China Shipping Container Lines ship is 366-meter-long and has a load capacity of over 155,000 tons.
"For the safety of the ships, tugboats and passing ships, all shipping traffic at the Western Scheldt near Bath has been halted until further notice. Over the course of the day it will be checked whether ships may pass," the statement added.
An attempt on Monday morning to pull out the ship using tugboats did not work out. Because of the tide, the next attempt is expected in Monday evening.
The Western Scheldt is the estuary of the Scheldt river, and its only direct way to the sea.
