Greater ChinaPorts and Logistics

Kaohsiung authorities assess super typhoon damage

Authorities at Kaohsiung port continue to assess the damage wrought by the unfortunately named YM Wind, a 14,000 teu newbuild that broke from its mooring ropes on Wednesday during a super typhoon.

The giant ship, ordered at CSBC by Seaspan and due for delivery next March, drifted over to the sixth container terminal at Kaohsiung port (see video below) and rammed the quayside, taking down two quay cranes.

The sixth container terminal at Kaohsiung is operated by Kao Ming Container Terminal Corp. It has four berths over 1.5 km and its depths alongside of 16.5 m are among the deepest at the port.

Gerry Wang, head of Seaspan, told Splash today that the ship had only “superficial damage so nothing material” and that its delivery time next March is unlikely to change. It will go on a ten-year charter to Yang Ming next year.

Having transited near the south of Taiwan, Super Typoon Meranti then made landfall on the Chinese mainland yesterday near Xiamen. A containership, Gang Tai Tai Zhou, dragged anchor while at Xiamen’s outer anchorage and ran aground on the southwest tip of Kinmen island. A salvage team is being deployed to assess the scene.

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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