Incident Video: Bulk Carrier Crashes Into Dock at Argentine Grain Hub

Update: Shipping agent Marítima Heinlein S.A. has issued the following statement on the incident:

Regret to inform you that on 24th/April around 2315 hrs, the vessel ‘Ocean Treasure’ allided with Terminal 6 North Pier while performing berthing maneuvers.

As a consequence of this impact, part of the elevator collapsed. Unfortunately, there are still no further news regarding the level of damage and if there were any victims or injured people.

MV ‘Ocean Treasure’ was going to load abt 24,000 MT soyabean meal bound to Saudi Arabia.

For the time being, all vessels announced to load at this berth will be moved to South Pier of the same terminal.

By Maximilian Heath BUENOS AIRES, April 25 (Reuters) – A cargo ship collided with a dock on the Parana River in Argentina’s grains hub of Rosario on Wednesday, causing a slowdown of activity at terminal 6 in the port of General San Martín and raising soymeal prices.

“The southern pier of terminal 6 is operational, with difficulties on the barge docks due to the blockage caused by the ship that generated the accident,” said Guillermo Wade, manager of Argentina’s Chamber of Port and Maritime Activity.

“The north dock of terminal 6 suffered some serious damage. One operator working in the area suffered a minor blow, but nothing serious,” Wade said.

The incident was captured on video by a port worker:

Argentina is the world’s top exporter of soymeal livestock feed and the third biggest supplier of raw soybeans.

The ship, Ocean Treasure, was preparing to load up to 24,000 tonnes of corn and a total of 27,000 tonnes of soymeal, according to NABSA shipping agency data.

Terminal 6 is operated by AGD and Bunge.

“It did move markets … Meal got a bid,” a U.S. soy futures trader said of the boat collision. Chicago Board of Trade May soymeal futures jumped as much as $8 per tonne on reports of the accident, outpacing gains in soybeans. The contract was $3.90, or 1.2 percent, at $376.00 in afternoon trading.

(Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Additional additional reporting by Michael Hirtzer and Karl Plume in Chicago; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Sandra Maler)

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