Near miss in Durban port entrance channel

IF ANYONE doubted the need for widening the Durban harbour entrance, they were given ample reason to reconsider last week when one of the smallest ever cargo ships to appear in harbour lost control and smacked into what remains of the North Pier. The 548-gt, 58m long Clipper, formerly a North European style coaster more commonly seen operating in and out of Europe’s smallest harbours but now flying the Panamanian flag and loaded with a few containers, was sailing from port in the early evening. The harbour pilot had just been lifted off the ship when for an as yet unexplained reason the ship sheered onto the rocks that form the breakwater. Fortunately the ship was not badly damaged but has some holes and dents. She was able to go to anchor outside harbour until two days later when she re-entered port to undergo further inspection and subsequent repairs at the Dormac shipyard.