EuropePorts and Logistics

Crane collapses at Finnish port

Another crane at a European port has collapsed. The BBC Wisconsin, a general cargo vessel, allided with a pier while coming in to dock at the port of Vaasa in Finland on Monday. An old crane collapsed.

Fortunately no one was injured and the ship was unscathed. An investigation is now underway to work how the accident happened.

This is the second crane collapse in Europe this month. The car carrier Neptune Thelisis smashed into a crane at the port of Koper in Slovenia on June 7. The ship broke its moorings during a storm and destroyed the crane as well as a coal conveyor belt. The accident is thought to have cost in the region of $20m.

Both these crane collapses were small compared to the dramatic moment when a giant crane collapsed at Dubai’s Jebel Ali terminal at the start of last month. The accident happened following a CMA CGM boxship alliding with the quayside.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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