# Car Carrier knock over crane in Bremerhaven **URL:** \ **Category:** Marine Incidents\ **Created:** [July 11, 2023, 11:04am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575 "2023-07-11T11:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:04am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/1 "2023-07-11T11:04:39Z")
> **[Car carrier knocks over crane in Bremerhaven harbour - Splash247](https://splash247.com/car-carrier-knocks-over-crane-in-bremerhaven-harbour/)** > > A car carrier broke away from its moorings, went adrift in the Bremerhaven harbour, hit one of the docks, and knocked over a crane weighing around 450 tons on Sunday evening. The stern lines of the 227-meter long and 32-meter-wide ship ripped out of... > [@](#): > > The cause of the incident is under investigation, but the Bremen police did say that one of the most likely causes was a storm that hit Bremerhaven. Lots of windage in a ship like this: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/0/3/03acc4a5e69d8c7a9a6409949be2f713bf8b527c.jpeg) PS\> Maybe too many lines on one bollard could have been a contributing factor? ---
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:12am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/2 "2023-07-11T11:12:38Z")
Typically for a car carrier depending on wind direction at somewhere around 50 kts wind speed tugs will be required to stay alongside. ---
**Author:** ![Bayrunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/bayrunner/32/966_2.png) [@Bayrunner](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Bayrunner)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/3 "2023-07-11T11:41:07Z")
It’s been a tough week for the RO/ROs. ---
**Author:** ![spowiednick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/spowiednick/32/35668_2.png) [@spowiednick](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/spowiednick)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/4 "2023-07-11T17:38:20Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/6/8/68087a6b134d312952764d154a0f3242b8755b70.png) [Safety Alert: Mooring Precautions for Vessels with Large Sail Areas When Expecting High Winds (american-club.com)](https://www.american-club.com/files/files/API_Mooring_Precautions_for_Vessels_with_Large_Sail_Areas_When_Expecting_High_Winds.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![tengineer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@tengineer1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer1)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/5 "2023-07-11T18:15:37Z")
20 years ago I saw a cruise ship from one of the major cruise lines break their mooring lines and being pushed onto a reef in the Caribbean. The wind had been building for about an hour but apparently no one noticed until I called them and mentioned their mooring lines looked ready to part. Eventually the ship had to cut the mooring lines and the anchor and leave all behind but thankfully 2000 ‘guests’ were loaded on board and the ship departed safely with just a few indentations in the hull from later reports. Nothing was ever reported officially. The next week we got a carton of ribeye steaks as a gift for calling them on the radio. Fair trade. ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/6 "2023-07-11T19:54:50Z")
Many piers once used for general cargo ships have over the years in a number of ports have been cleared of wharf sheds and cargo handling equipment and are now used to berth car carriers. The bollards on the wharves were never designed to handle the vertical loads imposed by the mooring lines and the deployment of cargo ramps further limits the number of bollards that can be used. Container ships are forced to cease operations in high winds because anemometers on the gantry cranes shut the crane down. On some ports recessed bollards allow the ship to run brest lines that would normally impede cargo operations to keep the vessel alongside. The same solution could usefully employed for car carrier berths and a proper risk assessment by the port authority. ---
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:42am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/7 "2023-07-12T11:42:58Z")
I missed that the name of the ship was _Don Quijote_ > **[Car Carrier Don Quijote Tilting at Windmills Knocks Over Bremerhaven Shipyard...](https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2023/07/car-carrier-don-quijote-tilting-at-windmills-knocks-over-bremerhaven-shipyard-crane/)** > > In Miguel de Cervantes’ epic novel Don Quixote, the namesake hero mistakes a row of windmills for evil giants and launches a bold, if comically unsuccessful, attack.  The windmills win, as the errant knight is swatted from his steed by …... ---
**Author:** ![\_A465B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e8c25b/32.png) [@\_A465B](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/_A465B)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 11:48am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/8 "2023-07-12T11:48:36Z")
It was blowing like stink that evening as a front came thru. No surprise - it was well announced by the weather services to the minute more or less. . ---
**Author:** ![johnny.dollar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@johnny.dollar](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/johnny.dollar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/9 "2023-07-12T21:33:18Z")
> [@Hogsnort](#): > > The bollards on the wharves were never designed to handle the vertical loads imposed by the mooring lines and the deployment of cargo ramps further limits the number of bollards that can be used. Get rid of the lines and use suction cups. It’s 2023! ---
**Author:** ![PHQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed8c4c/32.png) [@PHQ](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PHQ)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/10 "2023-07-15T16:33:04Z")
Investigations: Enough bollards, placement of bollards on ship and pier, slipppage or breakage of lines. ---
**Author:** ![PHQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed8c4c/32.png) [@PHQ](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PHQ)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/11 "2023-07-15T16:34:13Z")
You should sign: Yours Truly, Johnny Bollard. ---
**Author:** ![johnny.dollar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@johnny.dollar](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/johnny.dollar)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/12 "2023-07-16T15:24:13Z")
> [@PHQ](#): > > Yours Truly, Johnny Bollard Zing! Nice one. But I’m being serious. Imagine how much time and money suction cups could save? Especially on quick turn-around stays. ---
**Author:** ![PHQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed8c4c/32.png) [@PHQ](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PHQ)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/13 "2023-07-16T16:29:09Z")
Are there suction cups with reliable holding power under a variety of directional forces, contact surfaces, and vessel movement surges? ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 9:14am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/14 "2023-07-17T09:14:00Z")
There is this system in use for the Cook Strait Ferries. The terminal in Wellington were it is in use they call 50 knots of wind a breeze. [https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiexInLspWAAxXGqFYBHQ-wDSMQFnoECCoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mynewsdesk.com%2Fcavotec%2Fblog\_posts%2Flatest-moormaster-system-enters-service-in-new-zealand-109342&usg=AOvVaw2W-62iwCCXPu4VSxQ-hd3p&opi=89978449](https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiexInLspWAAxXGqFYBHQ-wDSMQFnoECCoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mynewsdesk.com%2Fcavotec%2Fblog_posts%2Flatest-moormaster-system-enters-service-in-new-zealand-109342&usg=AOvVaw2W-62iwCCXPu4VSxQ-hd3p&opi=89978449) ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/car-carrier-knock-over-crane-in-bremerhaven/66575/15 "2023-07-17T13:46:05Z")
It has proven it works: > **[MoorMaster automated mooring completes one million moorings](https://www.drycargomag.com/moormaster-automated-mooring-completes-one-million-moorings)** > > MoorMaster replaces hazardous conventional mooring lines with remotely operated automated vacuum pads that moor and release vessels in seconds at the push of a button. It can be used for vessels of all types and sizes: > **[2tgz8o6dolxa3s5a.pdf](https://f.nordiskemedier.dk/2tgz8o6dolxa3s5a.pdf)** More such systems are available in the market: > **[AutoMoor - Active Solution Company Limited](https://activesolution.vn/san-pham/automoor/)** > > AutoMoor is Trelleborg’s rope-free, automated mooring system designed to make your berthing operations smarter, safer and more competitive. AutoMoor units eliminate mooring lines and are specifically designed to improve...