MSC Monterey Suffers Crack Off Canada – UPDATE

MSC Monterey, image via JTF Atlantic

Update 2: 1.5 Meter Crack Discovered in Hull of MSC Monterey

Update: The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre reports that the MSC Monterey is currently at anchor off Newfoundland and the response has been turned over to Transport Canada.

The 20 crew remain onboard the vessel following the evacuation of 4 passengers earlier Sunday.

Original: Crewmembers from the 902-foot, Liberian-flagged containership MSC Monterey have been evacuated today after the ship developed a crack in its hull.  Major Martel Thompson from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Halifax noted in a phone call that the vessel’s crew issued a distress call at around 11 AM this morning after a crack was discovered and concerns mounted over her structural integrity.

Search and Rescue (SAR) techs from Canada’s 103 Squadron evacuated four non-essential personnel from the MSC Monterey, and 20 personnel remain on board working to save the vessel.

The vessel is currently located 34 nautical miles south of Portugal Cove South, Newfoundland.

At least two helicopters, a hercules aircraft and the CCGS Teleost are responding to the incident.

The MSC Monterey was built in 2007 at Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries in Romania and has a TEU capacity of 4,870. The vessel is owned by Germany’s REEDEREI NSB and managed by Mediterranean Shipping Company.

This news comes about six months after the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’ owned containership MOL Comfort broke in half and sank while sailing through the Indian Ocean in rough seas, as well as other high profile incidents involving MSC containerships such as MSC Flaminia, which also happened to be owned by REEDEREI NSB.

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