Work at Samsung shipyard suspended pending probe into rare crane collision

By Park Sae-jin Posted : May 2, 2017, 11:26 Updated : May 2, 2017, 11:26

[Yonhap News Photo]


Work at Samsung Heavy Industries, one of South Korea's three largest shipyards, came to a complete halt Tuesday pending an investigation into the collision of cranes that left six workers dead and 25 other injured.

The two-week suspension of operations at Samsung's shipyard on the southern island of Geoje was ordered by labor authorities, a day after an 800-ton giant crane moving on a fixed rail collided with a 32-ton tower crane when workers were in a dock to build an ocean platform. The platform was to be delivered next month under a 500 million US dollar order from a French company, according to Yonhap news agency.

Police and government officials have launched an investigation into possible human errors or breach of safety rules because such a collision is extremely rare.

The disaster came as Samsung Heavy, one of South Korea's three largest shipbuilders, is still reeling from mounting losses caused by a prolonged slump. Under a government-led restructuring program, Samsung and other shipbuilders have streamlined docks.

In March, Samsung Heavy unveiled the first of four 20,150 TEU container ships ordered by Japanese shipping company MOL. At the time, the shipyard proudly said it has built the world's largest container ship with no safety accident.

Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com


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