Friday, June 4, 2021

Container Ship Accident Caught on Video as Dockside Cranes Collapse

Spectacular Films of Falling Gantry Handlers and Stacks of Boxes
Shipping News Feature

TAIWAN – There is a ghoulish fascination watching the drama of an accident unfold and none more spectacular than when hundreds of tonnes of cranes and cargo collapse, only however when there are no serious consequences.

As is the way of things these days nothing seems to avoid the lenses of passing phone cameras and this week two videos so filmed recorded an accident yesterday which saw the 90,000 dwt OOCL Durban, a 8,476 TEU container ship, involved in an incident which was so recorded.

The unfolding horror can be viewed HERE and HERE and, as ever, a picture is worth a thousand words. The Panamanian registered Durban, chartered by OOCL and owned by Sun Lanes Shipping S.A., apparently a vessel owning instrument of Japanese firm Nissen Kaiun Co., Ltd. can be seen approaching the quay as she arrives in the Port of Kaohsiung at around 11:30 am.

As the empty vessel approaches Wharf 66 heading for loading, she scrapes alongside a Yang Ming ship, the 37,500 dwt YM Constancy moored at Wharf 70 and she brings down two quayside gantry cranes with spectacular effect. The collapse triggers the toppling of stacks of containers on the quayside. Miraculously nobody was killed but unfortunately two people were initially trapped in the wreckage for an hour and one person reportedly injured with a cut arm and foot requiring hospital treatment.

Reports from the Kaohsiung Port Authority say the incoming vessel was passing too close to the Constancy and failed to respond to warnings to adjust her direction and speed. Altogether a total of between 30 and 50 containers were damaged and an investigation is under way as to the cause and the extent of the damage.

As to the gantry cranes, number GC8 was struck by the ship bringing down GC6, and these were originally purchased for circa $22 million. All activities at Wharf 70 have been suspended whilst the area is cleared.

Editor’s Note: The Yang Ming vessel is reported to be the Yung Hung by the Kaohsiung Port Authority but this appears incorrect to us and the Constancy is actually believed to be the correct ship.