A ship has overshot its berth, smashing into and destroying a multi-million rand bulk loader in the Durban harbour, it was confirmed on Wednesday.
A National Port Authority pilot was aboard the MV Julian – as is compulsory in the Durban Harbour – when it crashed at the bulk terminal, near the port’s entrance on the Bluff, on Sunday evening.
Iain Geldart, managing director of Bulk Connections, the Bidvest company which owns the loader, confirmed the 600 ton, 30 metre-high machine was a “write-off”, but added that there may be some salvageable parts.
He said the Liberian-registered ship overshot Berth 4 as it was arriving to unload its cargo, before hitting the ship loader at Berth 2, at about 7pm.
Moshe Motlohi, Durban port manager, said in a statement: “Transnet National Ports Authority can confirm that an incident occurred…involving a vessel at the bulk terminal. TNPA is presently conducting an investigation into the incident. At this stage no further comment can be made.”
The Hamburg, Germany-owned MV Julian, is a bulk carrier, with a dead-weight of about 73 000 tons. It is understood the ship would be undergoing repairs in Durban.