MSC Container Ship Loses Dozens of Containers in Rough Seas
On August 28th, the Liberian-flagged container ship MSC Antonia, operated by MSC, encountered severe weather conditions near South Africa’s Port Elizabeth, resulting in the loss of 46 containers overboard. An additional 305 containers were damaged.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) issued a statement indicating that the incident occurred approximately 29 nautical miles northeast of Port Elizabeth as the MSC Antonia was en route from Colombo to New York. Due to the lost containers, SAMSA has issued a navigational warning to all vessels operating in the affected area.
As of August 30th, the MSC Antonia has safely arrived in Cape Town for a thorough assessment and necessary repairs. SAMSA noted that “fortunately, there were no reports of injuries to crew members, and the vessel was able to continue sailing safely despite the incident.”
SAMSA has urged all maritime operators and the public to exercise caution and report any sightings of containers or debris along the South African coastline to local authorities or SAMSA. They should contact the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and provide the location, number, and color of any discovered containers.
In a similar incident, on the night of August 15th, the Maltese-flagged container ship Belem experienced severe container stack collapse near the coast of Richards Bay due to adverse weather conditions, resulting in the loss of 99 containers overboard.
The 336-meter-long, 51-meter-high vessel, with a draft of 14.8 meters, initially sought refuge in Maputo Bay before diverting to Port Elizabeth.
Last Friday, the ship's insurers in South Africa conducted a five-hour aerial surveillance to search for the lost containers. Reports had surfaced of floating containers in the wild coast region of the Eastern Cape.
Although approximately 20 containers were discovered during the search, it could not be definitively determined if they belonged to the CMA CGM Belem.
SAMSA is actively working to locate the lost containers. The safety of seafarers, vessels, and the environment remains the primary concern. Additionally, SAMSA has warned the public against attempting to recover any debris that may wash ashore, emphasizing the potential dangers involved and urging individuals to contact authorities for safe removal and disposal.
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