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Video: CMA CGM Feeder Hits Dock and Crane Arriving in Hamburg

containership hitting the dock and crane
CMA CGM feeder ship making contact with the dock and crane in Hamburg (YouTube video)

Published May 13, 2025 12:20 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

One of CMA CGM’s innovative feeder ships operating in the Baltic region had a mishap on Sunday, May 11, as it was maneuvering to dock in Hamburg, Germany. The vessel struck the dock wall and the base of the cargo crane, reportedly pushing the crane off its track. Reports indicate the vessel suffered damage to its hull and has been detained while an investigation is ongoing.

CMA CGM Ermitage (31,000 dwt / 2,000 TEU) is part of a 2024 delivered innovative class of feeders built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea at the Mipo shipyard. The vessels are LNG-powered and unique in their dimensions, with a ratio of 204.29 meters (670 feet) long to 29.6 meters (97 feet) wide. The class is also the first in the CMA CGM fleet with a forward superstructure, which the company said provides better aerodynamic performance and higher loading capacity compared to a conventional containership design. They have an almost inverted straight bow with an integrated bow bulb that also offers better hydrodynamic performance to reduce fuel consumption by 15 percent per trip.

The feeder serves the ports of the Baltic and Scandinavia with dual homeports in Hamburg and Bremerhaven. It was maneuvering toward the dock in Hamburg, arriving from Bremerhaven at midday on Sunday.

 

 

Video circulating online shows the ship at a steep angle to the dock and unable to stop forward motion. Reports are saying there was a river pilot aboard, and unconfirmed stories in the German media are reporting the ship turned to avoid a small private boat on the river.

Contact is made with the base of the gantry crane and then it appears to rub along the side of the hull as the vessel turns. The media reports that the dock crew was able to secure the ship to the pier and that there were no injuries.

The German Transport Authority (BG Verkehr) detained the ship. The authorities have gathered data from the radar, radio signals, and the AIS system to analyze the incident.