They don’t turn on a dime like a speedboat. Plus power in and out means no control. Plus the currents. Plus, all commercial vessels have local pilots come on board to take the ship in and out of port. In other words, the pilot is a local expert who does nothing but this as their job.
Sometimes crap happens.
1000 ft ships don’t turn unless they are given rudder. There was no wind and the current is minimal running in the direction of the channel.