Port and River Tyne to Close to Clear Damaged Containership and Crane
The Port of Tyne, along with a section of the River Tyne, will be closed for nine hours on Thursday, July 30, as the recovery operation continues from the allision in the port on July 19. Specialized teams have been working with the port to secure damaged containers and the vessel BG Orange, along with removing the gantry crane that collapsed as the container vessel was struck.
Several containers were badly damaged when the WTIV Wind Orca struck the container vessel. The 170-meter (558-foot) container vessel was alongside when it was struck. Built in 2024, the vessel, which is registered in Portugal, has a capacity for approximately 1,400 TEU.
The port strung a containment boom around the vessel in an attempt to capture some of the debris, specifically plastic nurdles, which were released when two containers broke open. Pictures showed multiple containers crumpled on the deck of the ship.
Damaged containers on the deck of the vessel after the allision and container collapse (Port of Tyne)
In addition, a 750-tonne gantry crane collapsed, with a section coming to rest on the BG Orange. Teams worked to stabilize the crane and the containers, and as of Tuesday, the port said specialized teams had completed cleaning the two containers and the loose nurdles on the vessel.
The next step of the recovery plan calls for separating the collapsed gantry crane from the BG Orange. They will then relocate the ship into the river. They are asking the public to stay away from the area while the work was being carried out.
A Port of Tyne spokesperson said, “This remains a complex and critical operation, and we thank all river users for their patience while the work is carried out.”
Boom was strung in an effort to stop the spread of the nurdles from the damaged containers (Port of Tyne)
At the same time, a larger clean-up operation continues along the river after the nurdles washed up at several points. Environmentalists have estimated that about one billion of the small beads were released. Volunteers have been working to aid in the cleanup on the shoreline.
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The Wind Orca also remains at the port as the investigation is ongoing. The Port of Tyne in 2025 secured a significant contract in offshore wind. It is supporting Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 marshalling operations with Cadeler.
Officials are still working to restore port operations after the incident 10 days ago. In addition to its support for the offshore wind sector, the Port of Tyne handles automobiles and vehicle transports and bulk cargo.
