A shipping agent has been killed by a snapped rope as a boxship was being moored in Italy.

Luca Rizzeri, 34, died as he was supervising operations near the 587-teu BF Philipp (built 1986) at Ancona on Monday, Italian media reported.

The cable broke and the whiplash hit the agent.

The vessel is operated by Germany's Redeerei Foroohari.