A berthing maneuver at China’s Yantian Port on 9 November 2026 resulted in a serious incident when the Maersk Cincinnati collided with a quay crane at berth 12, leading to the structure collapsing toward the terminal yard.

The 15,516-TEU container vessel struck the crane around midday local time while it was berthing at the Shenzhen port terminal. Images and videos that circulated on Chinese social media later showed sections of the collapsed structure lying alongside the ship's hull and across several stacks of containers.

The Yantian District Emergency Management Bureau confirmed the following day an investigation into the incident was under way. But there was no official information on possible injuries or damage at the time of publication.

The weather encountered during the maneuver has also been examined. A sudden gust of wind may have been a factor in the crash, some sources in the Chinese maritime industry say. Shenzhen meteorological services issued a monsoon warning at 6:10 a.m. on Nov. 9, predicting gusts of force 8 and above. But no official findings have connected the weather to the crash.

Vessel schedule and operational effect

The Maersk Cincinnati was built in 2024 and is 366 meters long and 51 meters wide. It is registered in Singapore. The incident occurred while Voyage 645W on the Ne3 Asia–North Europe service was operating, which is jointly operated by Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd under their Gemini Cooperation.

The vessel was scheduled to call at Ningbo and Shanghai in China after its call at Yantian, then Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia before heading to Northern Europe.

As of Nov. 11, further information was not available on when the vessel actually departed Yantian or when berth 12 would be back in service.

Another crane collapse at Yantian port

The latest accident recalls a similar incident at the same port in 2024. On September 16 of that year, a quay crane fell onto the MSC Riona, a 1,730-TEU container ship, at berth 2.

The terminal operator said at the time the accident was caused by a serious mechanical failure. There were no reported injuries.

The fallout from the Maersk Cincinnati incident is still being looked into, with more details expected to emerge to explain the causes of the collision and its implications for terminal operations.