Crane collapses in Keelung Port

An STS crane collapsed at Keelung Port’s Pier 20 at approximately 2 p.m. (local time) on Monday, October 14, during the delivery of new cranes for the China Container Terminal Corporation. The company confirmed the collapse in a statement saying that the incident occurred when the Chinese-flagged heavy load carrier Yuzhou Qi Hang, transporting the company’s newly purchased cranes, collided with an existing onshore crane, leading to its collapse.

Video footage from the incident shows that a loaded STS crane on the vessel struck an existing onshore crane while the vessel was berthing. The heavy load vessel Yuzhou Qi Hang, was being assisted by a tugboat and was maneuvering slowly into position when the collision occurred. Three STS cranes were loaded on Yuzhou Qi Hang at the time of its arrival at the port and were intended for the port’s West Coast Container Terminal.

Although there were some people in the area at the time, thankfully, no injuries were reported. Local media reports indicate that damage was confined to five containers as the crane fell onto containers at the pier during the incident. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.

According to China Container Terminal Corporation, the older crane, which belongs to the company, was not in operation at the time of the accident and was awaiting replacement by the newly delivered crane. The company confirmed that all affected equipment and cargo are fully insured and that the investigation is currently being handled by insurance and certification companies.

Taiwan News reports that the Keelung Port Branch of the International Ports Corporation has indicated that the crane collapse has disrupted container shipping operations at Piers 20 and 21. These piers were reserved for the transportation of the new STS cranes from October 14 to 18, and the disruption is likely to impact logistical schedules during this time.

China Container Terminal Corporation is a Taiwan-based firm focused on operating container terminals. The company is structured into three segments, primarily dealing with the loading and unloading, transportation, and handling of cargo both on vessels and at the dock. It manages several facilities, including the Keelung Container Terminal, Taichung Port Container Terminal, and Taichung Pier 31 Terminal.

WorldCargo News will provide further updates on the incident as more information becomes available.