Reviews & Ratings for the Ever-Summit

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has issued a cautionary note regarding the safety protocols for large container vessels during its probe into a crane collapse that occurred at the Port of Vancouver. This incident was triggered by the allision of the 'Ever Summit' on January 28, 2019. In a report released on November 5, 2020, the Board identified a miscommunication in the pilot's commands as a critical factor that led to the vessel crashing into the berthing area at Vanterm, resulting in a crane tumbling onto the ship. The TSB's findings indicate a significant increase in the size of container ships over the last decade, asserting that larger ships require berthing operations that leave minimal room for error. The board expressed serious concerns that the sheer size of these modern vessels could surpass the Port of Vancouver's terminal infrastructure capacity, posing safety risks. Notably, the investigation revealed that there has been insufficient oversight from Transport Canada and port authorities to evaluate the safe berthing parameters for larger ships. The responsibility has fallen on individual terminals to assess the maximum size of vessels they can accommodate safely. Data from the TSB indicates that between 2008 and 2018, the deadweight capacity of vessels at Vanterm surged by 91%, while their overall length increased by 25%. Remarkably, during this same period, there were no significant upgrades made to terminal infrastructure components such as fenders, mooring bollards, and cranes. The report also outlined the pilot's plan to dock the 'Ever Summit' with assistance from two tugs. However, a mix-up in commands led the tugs to operate contrary to each other, causing the vessel’s stern to collide with the berth. The obscured view from the pilot and bridge team regarding the tugs compounded the situation, as the pilot had to depend on memory to track tug positions. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported from the collision, but terminal operations faced interruptions lasting several days. In the wake of this incident, British Columbia Coast Pilots Ltd., the authority overseeing ship pilots in the province, has put into place standardized communication protocols for interactions between pilots and tugboats. Additionally, the Port of Vancouver and Vanterm have conducted reviews of crane storage protocols to minimize the likelihood of future collisions with vessels. For further information, see the full report here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/container-ever-summit-crane-investigation-tsb-1.5791107

The recovery operation for the 'Ever Summit' has reached a successful conclusion. The vessel is poised to depart from the Global Container Terminal, located at 1300 Stewart Street in Vancouver, on February 7. The critical recovery phase at GCT Vanterm was wrapped up by February 5, when the damaged ship-to-shore crane boom was safely extracted from the ship in the morning. After this, 'Ever Summit' was repositioned at the berth for further operations, which included a concentrated effort to unload the impaired containers destined for Vancouver. By the early hours of February 7, the complete discharge process was finalized, enabling the vessel to set sail for Tacoma at 7:15 a.m. It reached the Pierce County Container Terminal later that same day at 11 p.m. Meanwhile, the Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation into the incident that led to this significant recovery effort.

Following the recent incident involving the Ever Summit, which caused a gantry crane collapse at the Vanterm terminal, shipping operations are projected to return to normal by February 3. Global Container Terminals (GCT), which oversees the facility, reported that while some shipping delays occurred, there were no significant cargo diversions. Recovery efforts have been bolstered by the deployment of two floating cranes, 'The Beast' with a capacity of 900 tons and 'Artic Tuk' at 600 tons. These cranes are crucial for the recovery process, which remains on track due to favorable weather conditions. Damage was observed on containers aboard the Ever Summit, including those intended for Vancouver and other designated ports; however, it has been confirmed that none of the affected containers contain hazardous materials. Thankfully, operations beyond the Vanterm terminal have not been disrupted at Canada's largest port. With the assistance of external contractors, GCT's engineering and maintenance teams continue to work diligently towards a comprehensive recovery plan.