Watch: CMA CGM Vessel Hits Crane & Quay At Hamburg Terminal

A newly built CMA CGM container ship collided with a quay wall and a gantry crane during docking at the Burchardkai terminal in Hamburg, Germany, around 12:20 PM on May 12.

The incident caused structural damage to both the vessel and port infrastructure, leading authorities to detain the ship for further investigation.

The vessel involved is CMA CGM Ermitage, a 2,126 TEU LNG-powered feeder ship, delivered in 2024 and registered under the Maltese flag.

The ship built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries at the Mipo shipyard in South Korea belongs to an innovative class of feeders designed specifically for efficiency and performance.

It features a forward-positioned superstructure and an inverted bow with an integrated bulb, allowing for improved aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, resulting in around 15 per cent fuel savings per voyage.

The ship, which weighs approximately 31,000 deadweight tons (dwt), is deployed on CMA CGM’s Baltic and Scandinavian service route. It operates between ports such as Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Gdansk, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Kotka, with Hamburg and Bremerhaven serving as its dual homeports.

On the day of the incident, it was arriving from Bremerhaven during midday. According to reports, the ship was maneuvering towards the quay with a local river pilot on board and tugboat assistance.

However, video footage circulating on social media shows the vessel approaching the dock at an awkward angle and unable to halt its forward motion.

اصطدمت السفينة CMA CGM ERMITAGE برافعة الحاويات في هامبورغ بألمانيا مما تسبب بوقوع أضرار مادية#ship #collision #port #sea #shipping #containers pic.twitter.com/iL9qFh8XiZ

— The Sea In Arabic البحر بالعربي (@Theseainarabic) May 12, 2025

The bow of the ship made contact with the base of a gantry crane before scraping along the crane’s leg. The impact dislodged the crane from its track.

Unconfirmed local media reports suggest that the ship may have made a sudden maneuver to avoid a small private motorboat that was nearby on the river. The situation is still under review.

The Hamburg Police confirmed to local media that the collision damaged the quay wall, the vessel’s hull, and the crane. The crane is now temporarily out of service. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and authorities stated that no fuel or operational fluids were released during the incident.

Terminal operator Hamburg Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) reported that the crane was damaged over the weekend during the docking of a container ship and that the damage is currently being assessed by professionals. They added that there were no injuries in the incident.

After the incident, the German Transport Authority (BG Verkehr) detained CMA CGM Ermitage in Hamburg Port. Investigators are analysing data collected from radar, AIS (Automatic Identification System), and radio transmissions to determine what led to the accident.

The Hamburg Port Authority has also imposed a temporary ban on the vessel’s departure while the inquiry is ongoing. Additionally, a security deposit of nearly €280 has reportedly been required.

CMA CGM confirmed that the vessel made “slight contact with the quay and one terminal quay crane” while approaching its mooring position.

The company stated that the incident occurred under pilot guidance and tug assistance and that all relevant authorities were immediately informed.

CMA CGM also noted that all necessary data has been submitted as per regulatory requirements and that it is cooperating closely with port authorities and stakeholders during the investigation.

As of now, CMA CGM Ermitage remains docked at Hamburg Port, and both damage assessment and investigation into the cause of the accident are still in progress.

Reference: worldcargonews

Source: Maritime Shipping News