News / VIDEO: Yang Ming vessel hits Turkish quay and takes out cranes

Here’s the moment, on Saturday, when the 14,000 teu YM Witness took out most of the cranes at Turkey’s Evyap Port in the Gulf of Izmit, east of Istanbul.

No fatalities or injuries to crew or dockworkers have been reported, but the terminal is likely to be out of action for months, judging by the way the ship-to-shore cranes toppled – according to the terminal, it has four quay cranes in operation and at least three of them can be seen collapsing in this video, while the fourth appears to have escaped sustained damage.

The vessel is on long-term charter to Yang Ming by non-operating shipowner Seaspan, and is deployed on the THE Alliance’s MD3 Asia-Mediterranean service.

Yang Ming this morning confirmed the incident: “Whereas navigational behavior and seamanship are under the supervision and management of the shipowner, administrative enquires and a full investigation into this incident are currently conducted in conjunction between shipowner and the relevant maritime authorities.

“According to the shipowner, there are no casualties following the incident, and no marine pollution has materialised for the time being.

“More information regarding vessel schedule adjustment, cargo transhipment and other following arrangements will be provided as soon as relevant information becomes available.”