Two huge container ships collided at Karachi port in Pakistan, sending 55-60 containers overboard and causing the suspension of container transport for several hours.
A 8,000-container ship operated by Hapag-Lloyd ground alongside a 6,350-container ship owned by Eastern Pacific Shipping, sending cargo tumbling into the water and damaging two berths.
The incident was captured by a port worker in a video that has since gone viral.
The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) describes the port as the “Gateway to Pakistan” and it is one of the busiest in South Asia. 1,600 ships use the port every year, with an annual freight volume of 38.73 million tons.
The port is dangerously congested and KPT harbour pilots are responsible for manoeuvring ships once they approach. A harbour pilot was blamed for a similar incident that took place in January.
It was a race against time for port authorities to retrieve the lost cargo as the containers were floating towards breakwaters, where they could have caused further damage.
(Source: Newsweek)
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