Three security guards at Wuhu Shipyard in China were reported killed after a 450-tonne gantry crane was blown over by strong winds on Saturday evening.
According to local news agencies, winds of more than force 12 hit Sanshan Economic Development Zone where Wuhu Shipyard is located.
The strong winds caused a crane at one of the two slipways to keel over, crashing into a nearby security post that housed three security guards on duty.
The crane was not in operation at the time.
A shipyard official declined to comment on the accident when contacted.
“We were instructed not to disclose any information to the public at the moment,” he said.
Wuhu has two slipways that can construct vessels up to 80,000 dwt. Each is equipped with one 450-tonne gantry crane.
It is unknown if the toppled gantry crane has damaged any of the newbuildings under construction there.
Shipbuilding experts believe production at Wuhu will be affected as the toppled gantry crane is one of the main pieces of equipment used for shipbuilding.
“We think at least one slipway will be closed temporarily,” a newbuilding broker said.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network shows Wuhu to have an orderbook comprising 28 newbuildings including three 7,000-ceu pure car/truck carriers for automobile maker Chery.
Other shipping companies that have booked vessels at Wuhu include Union Maritime, EGPN Bulk, Harran & Partner, Langh Group and Continental Bitumen.
French company Continental Bitumen is due to take delivery of one 23,500-dwt asphalt and bitumen carrier this month and Langh is slated to take delivery of one 7,800-dwt multipurpose vessel in August.
TradeWinds understands the car carriers will be constructed at Samjin Shipbuilding Industries Co in Weihai rather than at Wuhu.
Shipbuilding sources said Wuhu is taking over Samjin to build the car carriers as its own facility cannot accommodate them.
This is not the first incident in which a gantry crane has been blown over at a Chinese shipyard.
A 600-tonne gantry crane at New Times Shipbuilding tumbled during a severe hail storm with hurricane-force winds in May 2021, resulting in two casualties.
