Cargo Ship Olymp Trader Crushes Sailboat and Strikes Pier at Korsør, Denmark

The general cargo ship Olymp Trader (4,684 DWT, built 2002) crushed a docked sailboat and struck a pier at Korsør, Denmark, on the evening of June 8 while maneuvering into berth, after arriving from Wismar, Germany. The vessel's helmsman was subsequently arrested after testing over the legal blood alcohol limit.

The 104-metre vessel's hull made contact with a moored German-owned sailboat during the docking manoeuvre, crushing the boat and bending its mast to a 45-degree angle. The boat's owners, a German couple, jumped to safety on the pier before impact. Olymp Trader continued into the dock, knocking down lampposts and a bollard before coming to a stop. No injuries were reported.

Police boarded the vessel and administered a breathalyzer test to the 54-year-old Russian chief officer who had been at the helm. He tested "one thousandth above" the legal limit. A blood test was administered at police headquarters. The officer was held for approximately one hour before being released on charges of violating the Danish Maritime Act, which carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and potential loss of mariner's licence.

Olymp Trader is owned by a Latvian company and was acquired in April 2026. The vessel's agent, Baltic Shipping, confirmed the chief officer had been dismissed or would be dismissed for violating the operator's no-alcohol policy. The sailboat's owners estimated damages in excess of €100,000.

The Danish Maritime Authority has detained Olymp Trader for a full inspection. The Maritime Accident Investigation Board is conducting an investigation.