Gantry Crane Collapses On Containership At China’s Yantian Port

Port operations in Yantian, southern China, were disrupted on September 16, 2024, due to a gantry crane malfunction that resulted in part of the crane collapsing onto the 1,730 TEU feeder ship MSC Riona.

Several containers fell into the water due to the accident at approximately 8:40 a.m. Other containers were damaged onboard and on the dock. No injuries were reported.

The port authorities and Chinese officials are examining the cause of the crane malfunction. The incident occurred while the vessel, built in 1998 and acquired by MSC in 2021, was just arriving to begin container handling.

Port officials suspended operations for the MSC Riona and two other gantry cranes of similar age and type. While berth 2, where the accident happened, experienced operational difficulties, other areas of the massive port complex remained fully operational.

According to initial reports, the crane’s arm collapsed while preparing to handle containers. The port confirmed that there was no proof that the vessel contributed to the accident, even though Chinese officials detected faults with the vessel’s propulsion engines in May of 2024. These issues were fixed during a follow-up inspection.

The MSC Riona operates between China, Singapore, and the Philippines and was completing its routine service at the time of the incident.

Reference: FreightNews