Large container ships are notoriously difficult to steer, as the blockage of the Suez Canal back in 2021 proved, but this past week saw a Yang Ming chartered vessel accidentally steer into a Turkish dock and take out the ship-to-shore cranes.
The vessel YM Witness, a 14,000 TEU containership, crashed into the dock at the port of Evyap, Turkey, destroying three of the terminal’s four cranes in the process.
Dock workers had to run for cover as the cranes came tumbling down, although fortunately none were injured as the vessel collided with the DP World- operated terminal. It could be a few months before the terminal is able to operate again following the problematic ship manoeuvre.
Navigation is understood to be the responsibility of the shipowner, which is not Yang Ming, they just charter the ship on the THE Alliance’s Asia-Mediterranean service.
Footage of the incident was captured on CCTV and can be viewed below.
