In Miguel de Cervantes’ epic novel Don Quixote, the namesake hero mistakes a row of windmills for evil giants and launches a bold, if comically unsuccessful, attack.  The windmills win, as the errant knight is swatted from his steed by a windmill blade spinning in the breeze. 

On Sunday night, in Bremerhaven, the eponymously named car carrier Don Quijote did not “tilt at windmills” but instead drifted into a Lloyd Werft shipyard crane after being blown off its moorings in high winds. This time, Don Quijote won. Luckily, no one was injured.

As reported by Maritime Executive, the stern lines of the 750-foot Norwegian flagged ship ripped free of the pier at about 2100 hours, taking the bollard with them. The freighter drifted away from the west bank to the east bank of the harbor. When it struck the wharf, it damaged the quay and brought down a shipyard crane.

Overall, there was considerable damage to property, according to the Bremen police force. The value and repair cost is expected to total in the high six figures. 

After the casualty, the ship was secured by tugs and returned to her original berth.

Tradewinds notes that the crane had stood at the yard for 50 years, after being made by VEB Baumechanik Barleben in what was then East Germany.

Damage was also caused to the outfitting quay at Lloyd Werft.

Sven May, operations manager at Lloyd Werft, told the newspaper the exact extent of the damage is not yet known. He said the crane is probably a total loss, however.

Experts will be brought in to examine the floating dock, which is currently empty.

May said no final assessment will be made until at least Wednesday.