WATCH | Massive car carrier smashes into tug boat and quay

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) has launched an investigation into a collision between a car carrier vessel and a tugboat while the ship was berthing on Friday.

Car carrier CSCC ASIA‚ operated by Hoegh Autoliners‚ collided with the inactive tug Inyalazi.

Samsa’s Saroor Ali said their investigation would entail taking statements from a range of personnel involved in the berthing of the vessel.

The ship collided with the tug and quay while a local Transnet pilot was on board.

“Samsa is in possession of the Video Data Recorder recording and copy of Electronic Chart Display System (ECDIS) play back. This will provide us with real time data at the time of the incident and will assist in the investigation to ascertain what occurred‚” he said.

He said that the tug and the quayside were badly damaged.

“Port operations were not affected. The car carrier vessel was able to commence operation and the tug Inyalazi was moved to the dry dock for repairs.”

“Accidents do happen in ports all over the world and it is too early in the investigation to apportion blame. Once the investigations are completed‚ a decision will be made about what action to take. We will also learn from this experience and put measures in place to avoid a reoccurrence‚” he said.

In April last year a freight ship that entered the harbour with the help of two tugboats and a harbour pilot collided with the quayside and a bulk loading appliance. The damage to the loading appliance was about R269m and the damage to the quayside wall amounted to R250‚000‚ according to a judgment in the Durban High Court.