Ship Gouges Grain Terminal During Docking, Closing It No Loading For At Least 10 Days At Columbia’s 4th Largest Wharf

A ship accident that severely damaged a grain-loading dock at the Port of Vancouver likely has shut down operations at the grain terminal for more than a week.

No injuries or environmental damage were reported from the accident, in which the MV Mercury Trader, a 621-foot grain ship, crashed into United Grain Corp.’s elevator wharf Tuesday while docking to load wheat.

Chastell Lee, port spokeswoman, said the most optimistic estimate was for a 10-day shutdown of operations at the grain terminal, which is owned by the port and leased by United Grain. The terminal is the fourth-largest on the Columbia River.

The Coast Guard conducted a preliminary inquiry Thursday. Officials said they will have to interview several more parties before they have a clear picture of the accident.

The Mercury Trader sustained some damage and was moored at the port while engineers inspected the hull. The dock face, moorage and the grain terminal’s loading equipment were severely damaged. Neither the unloading equipment nor the elevator was affected.