TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's transport safety agency has called for stronger harbor pilot training after a Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier struck port facilities while leaving Kaohsiung last year.
The June 2025 incident involving the Ming Hong damaged the ship's rudder and the wharf, sank the nearby CSBC No. 8 workboat, snapped a mooring line on CSBC No. 12, and caused no injuries or oil spill, per CNA.
The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board found the vessel began backing away before it had gained enough sideways clearance from the berth in the constrained waters of Kaohsiung Port's Second Port. That left less room for the crew and pilot to correct the ship's movement once it drifted off the intended track.
Investigators said the crew did not give the pilot a full enough picture as the ship moved backward. Speed updates were passed along, but the team failed to clearly flag that the vessel’s path was drifting toward danger.
The report said the pilot and captain spoke before the ship left the berth, but the exchange did not settle the details that mattered once the maneuver began. Neither side pinned down how much clearance was needed before reversing, leaving them slower to respond when the ship’s movement changed.
The board directed its recommendations at port regulators, the ship’s operator, and Kaohsiung’s pilots. It said authorities should look at how pilots are trained and supervised, while the company should make sure captains stay actively involved during pilot-led maneuvers.
