As informed, a total of thirteen containers fell off the 9,411 TEU boxship MSC Chloe while the vessel was some 22 nautical miles off Durban in the evening hours of August 7. Additionally, another 25 CTUs have sustained damages.
“The vessel was on a voyage from Coega (Ngqurha port in Port Elizabeth) to Durban. Reportedly the vessel was drifting and awaiting berthing instructions when a huge swell struck and caused the vessel to roll about +/- 30 degrees on either side, thereby leading to the containers falling off their stacked position,” the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) said in a report.
An alert has been issued to vessels sailing in the Indian Ocean east of South Africa to be on the lookout for cargo containers that fell off the ship.
“A navigational warning is being broadcasted by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) Cape Town and transiting vessels in and around the area are requested to keep a sharp lookout and to report to MRCC Cape Town and Durban Port Control of any sighting,” SAMSA added.
Giving more details on the nature of cargo they contained when the incident occurred, SAMSA said: “MSC has confirmed the contents of the containers as general cargo ranging from cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, machinery shafts and agricultural supplies. No lost container contained any IMDG (dangerous) cargo or marine pollutants.”
SAMSA further said it verified that “declared IMDG containers (dangerous goods containers) as per vessel’s stowage plan were on board in their respective positions.”
An investigation into the incident has been launched after the 2016-built Post-Panamax vessel berthed at the port of Durban last week.
據報導，由地中海航運公司（MSC）運營的集裝箱船在伊麗莎白港和南非德班之間航行時丟失了一些集裝箱。
據了解，共有13個集裝箱從9,411標準箱的船舶MSC Chloe上掉落，而該船在8月7日晚上離開德班約22海裡。此外，另有25個 CTUS 遭受了損壞。
“這艘船正在從Coega（伊麗莎白港的Ngqurha港口）前往德班。據報導，當一個巨大的浪潮波擊導致船隻在兩側滾動約+/- 30度時，該船正在漂流並等待停泊指示，從而導致集裝箱從其堆放位置脫落，“ 南非海事安全局（SAMSA） ）在一份報告中說。
已經向在南非東部印度洋航行的船隻發出警報，要求他們注意從船上掉下來的貨物集裝箱。
“海上救援協調中心（MRCC）開普敦正在播報航行警告，要求該地區及其周圍的過境船隻保持警惕，並向MRCC開普敦和德班港口管制部門報告任何目擊事件，” SAMSA添加。
SAMSA在發生事故發生時提供了有關其所含貨物性質的更多細節時說： “MSC已確認集裝箱的內容為普通貨物，包括紙箱，塑料瓶，機械軸和農業用品。沒有丟失的集裝箱包含任何IMDG（危險）貨物或海洋污染物。“
SAMSA進一步表示，已核實“根據船舶配載計劃申報的IMDG集裝箱（危險品集裝箱）仍在各自的位置上。”
上週在德班港停泊的2016年建造的超巴拿馬型船隻後，對此事件進行了調查。
Information source: World Maritime News Staff; Image Courtesy: Ships & Ports
