A devastating workplace incident at Freeport Container Port has triggered a comprehensive safety review following the death of a 27-year-old engineer technician on Boxing Day. Anderson Adderley, an employee in the port’s Engineering Department, fell from a crane in the early hours of December 26, marking the first of two serious accidents at the facility within hours.
The tragic sequence began around 5 AM when port personnel discovered Adderley unresponsive near the stack trailer area with critical injuries. Emergency Medical Services pronounced him dead at the scene. Preliminary investigations by Superintendent Nicholas Johnson of the Criminal Investigation Department indicate Adderley was assigned to work on one of the terminal’s 14 cranes, though he was not wearing a safety harness at the time of the fall.
In a separate incident the same day, another worker sustained severe leg injuries when an object fell on him aboard a vessel docked near the container port. The injured man was transported to hospital, with his condition remaining undisclosed.
The dual accidents have intensified scrutiny on safety protocols at the transshipment terminal, currently undergoing $100 million in upgrades and expansion. Adderley, who held a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of The Bahamas, had been employed at the port for approximately one year and was described as enthusiastic about his career prospects.
Family members, including uncle Andrew Forbes, expressed profound grief while awaiting conclusive investigation results from both police and port authorities. Forbes revealed the tragedy represents the fourth consecutive year of bereavement for the family, describing Adderley as an only child whose mother is struggling with the loss.
Freeport Container Port CEO Godfrey Smith issued a statement extending condolences to Adderley’s family, loved ones, and colleagues, confirming the company’s full cooperation with the ongoing Royal Bahamas Police Force investigation. The incident has raised critical questions about industrial safety standards in port operations, with family members hoping the tragedy will prompt enhanced safety mechanisms to prevent future fatalities.