A CMA CGM containership struck a ship-to-shore crane while approaching its berth at Terminal Darsena Toscana (TDT) in Italy's Port of Livorno on Wednesday, October 21.
The 272-metre, Malta-flagged CMA CGM Pointe Noire was manoeuvring in the Darsena Toscana turning basin with two tugs when her superstructure hit the projecting boom of a crane that was stationary alongside the quay for maintenance.
The impact caused structural damage to the crane and displaced it from its rails, leaving it leaning towards the water. Initial accounts described damage to the ship as limited.
No injuries were reported.
The crane was one of the terminal's six similar units, and only two of the six were usable immediately afterwards.
Removal of the damaged crane was expected the following week, while restoration is estimated to take several months.
The vessel was detained pending the checks needed to authorise her departure. An investigation has also been opened to determine the events leading to the mishap as well as identify any responsibility for the collision.
The authority restricted waters in front of quay 14, between bollards 15 and 29, to a distance of 80 metres from the quay edge. The restriction will allow the crane to be secured.
Technicians from the crane manufacturer arrived later that same day and secured the crane.
TDT then submitted a structural stability report to the maritime authority. The ship's master was summoned to appear before the authority on October 22.
"We do not know the causes of the accident; investigations are under way," TDT Director-General Marco Mignogna told local newspaper Il Tirreno. "We had agreed the position of the crane undergoing maintenance with the pilots and the maritime authority."
CMA CGM Pointe Noire was built in 2024. She has a beam of 42.8 metres, a deadweight of 86,309, and a capacity of 8,000 TEUs. Her sister ships include CMA CGM Petra (pictured) and CMA CGM Baalbeck, which were delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
