Another crane accident at Port

ANOTHER $1 million crane was involved in a potentially fatal accident at Darwin's East Arm Wharf.

The accident was almost identical to the collision with a smaller crane in January.

WorkSafe is expected to hold a full-scale inquiry into the mishap.

But the agency still hasn't published its report into the last accident.

A wharf worker told the NT News: "It can't be long before somebody is killed."

The 900 tonne Darwin Port Corporation container crane ploughed into the raised boom of a crawler crane about 11am.

The corporation operator is believed to have told his bosses that he didn't see the crawler crane until he hit it.

The small crane's cables were badly damaged.

"The boom did not break, which prevented further damage," a source said.

"If the boom had broken, it could have come down on anyone nearby."

Two ships - one with live cattle and the other with cement products - were loading and unloading at East Arm when the accident happened.

"There were numerous wharfies around," the worker said. "It was another lucky escape."

The NT News understands that the Port Corporation is in dispute with Patricks Stevedores over the January accident.

Patricks is believed to have claimed lost income because the crane was out of action for several months.

Four wharfies had to dive out of the way of the huge crane as it broke free after not being secured properly and raced down its metal runners.

Corporation management admitted that the accident could have been fatal.

The corporation was fined last month for causing an environmental nuisance after copper concentrate was washed into Darwin Harbour.