A dangerous chemical leak occurred at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium on the evening of July 15. The incident has resulted in 155 people receiving medical checks, with 28 requiring hospital treatment, including one patient in intensive care. The vessel involved is the MSC containership Mia Summer II, which was berthed at the Delwaidedok terminal at the time of the incident.

The accident took place at around 9:30 p.m. on July 15. Authorities have confirmed that the substance leaked was hydrogen fluoride—a colourless, highly corrosive, and extremely toxic gas widely used in industrial cleaning and refrigerant production. Inhalation of its vapours can cause severe chemical burns to the respiratory tract, skin, and eyes, with high-concentration exposure posing a life-threatening risk. Those affected were primarily terminal workers and crew members, including a number of Filipino seafarers, all believed to have suffered symptoms after inhaling toxic fumes.

Following the alert, emergency services swiftly evacuated all personnel from the vessel and the surrounding terminal area, screening 155 people who had been exposed. Most were discharged after on-site treatment, though 28 remain under observation in hospital, one of whom has been admitted to intensive care with more serious injuries; the authorities have yet to release details of that patient's condition. Meanwhile, fire services, hazardous materials teams, and maritime safety authorities established a strict cordon around the vessel, and a specialist chemical response team has boarded the ship to assess the extent of the gas dispersion and to inspect the hull structure and other cargo for corrosive damage.

In addition to the leak itself, authorities are investigating an unverified report that a chemical storage tank on board may have caught fire during the incident. A parallel technical investigation has been launched to determine the root cause of the leak and establish liability. As a consequence of the incident, operations at parts of the Delwaidedok terminal have been suspended, with resumption dependent on the outcome of risk assessments and decontamination progress. The Port of Antwerp has pledged its full cooperation with the investigation and is committed to restoring operations as soon as it is safe to do so.

As the second-largest port in Europe and a key global hub for petrochemical products, the Port of Antwerp is required to strictly comply with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code for the storage and handling of hazardous substances such as hydrogen fluoride. This latest incident has renewed industry attention on the safety of handling dangerous chemical cargoes at port terminals. Belgium's federal maritime safety authority has stepped in, and preliminary findings are expected to be released in the coming days. Efforts to seal the source of the leak remain ongoing.