Container ship capsizes during loading in Belgium

A container ship capsized during loading Thursday in the port of Antwerp, but caused no injuries, officials said.

The cause of the capsizing of the Republica di Genova, a roll on/roll off vessel of the London-based Grimaldi Lines, was not immediately clear, authorities said. Grimaldi Group vessels carry containers and Fiat cars from Italy to Antwerp, the AP reports.

Port of Antwerp Captain Jan Persi said the 216-meter long vessel slowly rolled onto its starboard side in a dead end dock early in the morning. He said the ship began taking on water and that the captain ordered the crew to evacuate. The white-and-yellow vessel lay resting on its side, part of its hull above the waterline in the dock.

Karel Verbeke, head of Grimaldi Belgium, told the VRT radio network that about 100 containers and cars had fallen overboard and that retrieving them "will take a few days."

Shipping in and out of the Verrebroekdock was halted.