Salvage and recovery operations continue on the cargo ship Mississippi at the Port of Long Beach, with all unaffected containers from the incident secured as of Sunday, September 14. The Unified Command reports that 32 containers have been recovered from the water around the vessel, with no signs of pollution observed since an initial leak from an emissions barge was secured on September 10.
“In just a few days, we have made significant progress in securing the vessel cargo and recovering containers — all while maintaining the highest standards of safety for response workers and crew onboard the vessel,” said Capt. Stacey Crecy, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 9, when approximately 75 shipping containers fell from the Portugal-registered vessel shortly after its arrival from Yantian, China. Eyewitness footage captured the ship listing as two rows of containers collapsed.
A 500-yard safety zone remains in effect around the Mississippi while salvage experts and port laborers work alongside federal, state, and local agencies to secure containers from two affected bays. The Coast Guard is broadcasting marine safety information to alert mariners of navigation hazards.
Port operations have continued largely unaffected by the incident. “Although this incident was at one berth at the Port, we will continue to act with caution as we recover containers and restore full operations at the Pier G terminal as quickly and safely as possible,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero.
The Unified Command’s priorities remain the safety of response workers, the vessel’s crew, and general public, along with protection of the surrounding environment. Surveys, drone overflights, and dive operations are being conducted to inform next steps in the response.
The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
By gCaptain