Ships Collide Causing Damage at Lagos Port

A container ship, the MSC Pillar, which was on its way to Tin Can Island Port, has run into another ship on anchorage, inflicting severe damage on the vessel at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa. Josco Suzhou, a 35,000 metric tonne vessel laden with 6,524 metric tonnes of bulk gypsum, was discharging at Berth 19 of the port complex at the weekend inside the terminal owned by Greenview Development Nigeria Ltd. when the MSC Pilar came on it. Eyewitnesses told the Nigerian Tribune that MSC Pilar was being piloted by one of the marine pilots of the Nigerian Ports Authority when it suddenly lost control and to avoid running into an on-coming bigger ship, went onto the Josco Suzhou which was at berth. Josco Suzhou suffered serious damage to its hull while the fenders at the quayside were also badly damaged. This was the second of such major accidents within a month at the Lagos Pilotage District. When contacted, the harbours master of the Lagos Pilotage District, Captain Effiong Uwak, confirmed it, saying that the MSC Pilar lost control as a result of steering failure. [Source: http://www.tribune.com.ng]