THREE PORT WORKERS KILLED IN COLLAPSE OF CONTAINER CRANE BOOM [VERACRUZ, MEXICO – 13 DECEMBER 2019] - UPDATED

Reports coming to Blueoceana Company this morning, reveal that three as- yet unnamed port workers suffered fatal crushing injuries yesterday afternoon at approximately 3:00 PM, when the forward part of a container crane’s boom was suddenly unshipped, falling to the area below. We believe that this accident occurred during vessel operations being conducted at Terminal 2, at the Port of Veracruz, Mexico.

We are in possession of two roughly translated media accounts (see links below), but the information within them, while at least imparting some facts, is relatively sparse.

Should we come upon further factual information, it will be posted to this page as an update.

Link To Media Account:  

Veracruz port accident leaves three dead (121319)Download

Link To Media Account:

Crane kills three people in Veracruz (121319)Download

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The Blueoceana Company was founded in 2000 by its president, Ron Signorino.

In the ten year period that preceded the launching of the firm, Mr. Signorino was Director of Regulatory Affairs for the Maersk organization in North America. In that position, his principal business responsibilities centered upon all aspects of Federal and State regulatory compliance incumbent upon the Maersk business groups (inclusive of thirteen marine terminals, intermodal trucking groups, logistics centers and agency operations) and in the molding of enabling legislation at Washington, D.C. and various State Capitols.

Prior to his assignment with Maersk, he headed the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s (OSHA) Office of Maritime Standards at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. Mr. Signorino’s professional career with OSHA spanned a sixteen year period; the first three of those years assigned as a senior compliance officer at the Port of New York & New Jersey.

He is the principal author of 29 CFR Part 1917 (OSHA’s regulations for marine terminals) and 29 CFR Part 1918 (OSHA’s regulations for longshoring aboard vessels).

Prior to his civil service career, he held managerial positions with several ocean carriers, stevedores and marine terminal operators.

Mr. Signorino began work in the marine cargo handling industry in 1969, as a rank and file member of the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO, in Brooklyn, New York. He retains honorary membership within that labor organization.

THREE PORT WORKERS KILLED IN COLLAPSE OF CONTAINER CRANE BOOM [VERACRUZ, MEXICO – 13 DECEMBER 2019]

POSTED BY ADMIN ON DEC 14, 2019 IN BULLETINS

Reports coming to Blueoceana Company this morning reveal that three as- yet unnamed port workers suffered fatal crushing injuries yesterday afternoon at approximately 3:00 PM, when the forward part of a container crane’s boom was suddenly unshipped, dropping to the work area below. We believe that this accident occurred during vessel operations that were being conducted at Terminal 2, at the Port of Veracruz, Mexico.

We are in possession of two roughly translated media accounts (see links below), but the information within them, while at least imparting some facts, is relatively sparse.

Should we come upon further factual information, it will be posted to this page as an update.

Link To Media Account:  

Veracruz port accident leaves three dead (121319)Download

Link To Media Account:

Crane kills three people in Veracruz (121319)Download

UPDATE – 14 December 2019; 8:30 PM EST: 

Communications with friends at Veracruz have provided facts which will substantially revise and expand upon media reports received thus far: To wit:

1. Cargo operations were not being carried out at the time of the accident;
2. Rather, the Mitsubishi container gantry crane was being dismantled at the time by a specialty firm known as Prolamsa at the “North Container Dock.”
3. Four; not three, workers were ultimately killed. At present, it is not known whether all of the fatally injured workers were employees of Prolamsa;
4. Only one of the fatally injured workers has been identified thus far. He was known as Mr. Andres Martinez Cervantes; and
5. The marine terminal facility is operated by Hutchison Port Holdings, and is commonly known as HUTCHISON PORTS ICAVE A link to the firm’s website is provided here: https://hutchisonports.com/en/ports/world/internacional-de-contenedores-asociados-de-veracruz-icave/

Above & below: The Scene of Yesterday’s Accident

Orientation of Veracruz Port, Mexico

Veracruz Port Aerial Photo