CMA CGM Container Ship Hits Dock in Barranquilla
Small Container Ship Strikes Dock at Barranquilla Port, Colombia
Small Container Ship Hits Dock at Barranquilla Port, No Injuries Reported
A small container ship named CMA CGM Balboa collided with a dock at the port of Barranquilla, Colombia, early Wednesday morning. Local reports said the ship experienced a mechanical issue, which caused it to drift off course. The accident happened at around 12:40 a.m., according to Lucas Ariza, the director of the port association.
The ship hit the pier at Barranquilla’s container terminal, but no one was hurt, and there were no signs of pollution. Right after the crash, four tugboats rushed to help. Thanks to their quick action and teamwork between the tugboat operators, the local harbormaster, and the Colombian Maritime Authority, the ship was freed from the dock by 11:00 a.m. that same day. It was safely moved to a nearby spot for further checks.
Ariza explained to local media outlet Infobae that the ship’s hull was damaged in the crash, and water started filling its ballast tanks. However, this is part of the ship’s safety system. The ballast tanks are designed to fill with water instead of the ship itself when there’s damage, preventing it from sinking.
The next step depends on how badly the ship was damaged. It may need to be put into dry dock for repairs, or it could sail to the next port for further work. At the time of the incident, the CMA CGM Balboa was carrying around 2,700 tonnes of cargo, according to Colombia’s Dirección General Marítima (Dimar). As of Thursday, the ship remained docked at Barranquilla for further inspections.
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The CMA CGM Balboa is a 28,000-deadweight-ton (DWT) feeder ship that was built in 2007. This vessel has faced problems before. In 2023, during a U.S. port inspection, officials found that its RPM sensors were faulty, which caused an overspeed alarm and an automatic engine shutdown. The issue was fixed before the ship was cleared to leave.
The Colombian Maritime Authority and other officials are now looking into the exact cause of this latest incident. So far, no further issues have been reported, and the ship remains under careful watch.
