74,000-ton container ship crashes into wharf at Port of Kaohsiung: Pilot suspected drunk
A 74,651-ton container ship was seen approaching a wharf pier bow-first at an angle of 90 degrees before colliding with the steel-reinforced concrete structure at the Port of Kaohsiung yesterday, Monday, March 20.
According to the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Cyprus-flagged Hyundai Tokyo (IMO: 9305673, MMSI 212347000) crashed into Pier 77 at 9:05 am, causing damage to the dock and quay wall. The port controller had noticed that the speed of the ship was too fast and sent a warning by radio before the incident occured.
The Maritime and Port Bureau Southern Navigation Center dispatched personnel to the site of the accident to investigate, and reports this morning say that the pilot is believed to have been affected by alcohol at the time of the incident.
The ship has been ordered restricted from leaving the port while an investigation is carried out by the National Transportation Safety Committee.
Compensation is expected to be claimed for damage to the wharf after an underwater inspection is carried out in the next few days.
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