Containership damaged transiting expanded Panama Canal

The 8,530-TEU CSCL container vessel Xin Fei Zhou scraped its side against the wall of one of the recently inaugurated locks of the important Central American waterway, according to a report from the Associated Press.    A China Shipping (CSCL) containership sustained damage to its hull while transiting the expanded Panama Canal late last week, according to a report from the Associated Press.
   The 8,530-TEU CSCL vessel Xin Fei Zhou reportedly scraped its side against the wall of one of the recently inaugurated locks of the important Central American waterway, leaving a gash in the exterior.
   The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said Friday the incident was under investigation but that it had not caused any interruptions or delays in canal operations.
   It is the first such incident to take place since the June opening of the canal’s widened third lane, but some analysts have warned that it could be a recurring issue.
   A study released by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) back in April raised concerns over the dimensions of the new locks, claiming they are too narrow given the width of the massive containerships expected to transit the canal on a regular basis. The ITF said at the time that it commissioned the study at the behest of Panamanian unions, but that ACP has refused “to engage in dialogue on matters such as training, as well as the technical and construction issues that have led to delays in the operation of the new infrastructure.”
   ACP, however, dismissed the study, saying ITF’s mathematical models were not scientifically accurate because they did not include data from physical navigation tests that been done in preparation for operations in the expanded canal.
   Just last month, London-based risk management consultancy PGI Intelligence issued a report in which it said the larger vessels now able to pass through the canal’s locks come with “considerable safety concerns.” At 427 meters long and 55 meters wide, the new locks are still too small for neo-panamax ships, said PGI, adding that these risks could lead to accidents and delays for shippers and higher claims for insurers, which could in turn undermine the economic benefits of the $5.3 billion project.
   According to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting, the Xin Fei Zhou is one of 10 8,467-TEU average vessels operating on the joint CSCL and CKYHE Alliance Asia-E.S. East Coast AWE4 service. The loop has a full port rotation of Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, New York, Boston, Norfolk and Qingdao.
   CSCL and the former COSCO are technically now a part of the combined China COSCO Shipping group, but their respective container shipping operations have not yet been fully merged due to alliance agreements that run through the first quarter of 2017. CSCL is currently a member of the Ocean3 Alliance along with CMA CGM and UASC, while COSCO is a part of the CKYHE Alliance, which also includes “K” Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin and Evergreen Line.