VIDEO: Clash of the Giants

Hapag-Lloyd’s vessel Colombo Express collided on Monday morning, September 29th with containership Maersk Tanjong while entering the Suez Canal at Port Said.

“According to preliminary findings, there are no injuries and no damage has been done to the environment.

Both vessels were able to continue on. The exact course of events is currently being investigated,” Hapag-Lloyd said in a statement.

According to preliminary conclusions that can be drawn from the video it appears that Hapag-Lloyd’s Colombo Express was attempting to overtake Maersk Tanjong but failed to do so, ramming into Maersk’s ship.

“The incident occurred when the Maersk Tanjong was clearing the Suez Canal Container terminal to join the second convoy, whilst the Colombo Express was already proceeding through the convoy at the same point.

 Three containers have fallen from the Colombo Express and the vessel has also received a 20 metre dent to its left side.

 The incident has severely interrupted the second southbound convoy and the northbound convoy is therefore expected to delay,” Inchcape Shipping Services said yesterday.

According to Maersk Line, one of the containers has been recovered, while the Suez Canal Authority was working on recovering the remaining ones as well.

Rainer Horn, Hapag-Lloyd’s Director of Public Relations told World Maritime News that Colombo Express was in perfect technical condition and was proceeding to Jeddah at the moment, her next port.

Mr Horn added that experts will analyze now what had led to the contact between both vessels.

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World Maritime News Staff, September 30, 2014; Image: youtube