All Containers Recovered from Cargo Loss Incident at Port of Long Beach

The Unified Command has announced the successful recovery of all 95 containers that fell overboard from the vessel Mississippi at Pier G in the Port of Long Beach.

The final container was lifted from the water on Friday at approximately 3:28 p.m. , marking the end of salvage operations for the incident. The initial count of overboard containers increased from original estimates as some units were crushed, submerged, or hidden from view in the nearby boat basin.

“Every decision during the Pier G Container Incident was centered on safety — whether it was divers working to recover containers in the basin or around the hull, evaluating vessel transits through the safety zone, or crews conducting container operations day and night,” said Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy, Coast Guard incident commander.

The response effort involved deploying side-scan sonar and remotely operated vehicles to locate submerged containers, using dive teams to inspect the vessel’s bottom, and repositioning the vessel using tugs and pilot vessels to access containers trapped beneath it.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 9, when dozens of shipping containers toppled from the Portugal-registered Mississippi shortly after its arrival from Yantian, China. Eyewitness footage captured the ship listing as two rows of containers collapsed. Initial estimates indicated approximately 75 containers had fallen overboard.

During the recovery operations, the safety zone around the vessel was reduced from 500 yards to 100 yards, with all vessel traffic restrictions finally lifted following the completion of dive operations on September 26. A total of 142 vessel transits were authorized during the salvage operations phase, ensuring continued operations in the busy port complex.

AIS data shows the Mississippi departed Long Beach on Sunday bound for Vietnam.

Port of Long Beach incident commander Michael Goldschmidt described the event as “an extremely rare event that required a complex and unique salvage operation,” adding praise for “the Coast Guard, vessel managers, salvage teams and the highly skilled ILWU workers for expediting a safe and speedy return to normal operations.”

Pier G terminal operations have now been fully restored, and port traffic is continuing without restrictions. The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board continue to lead the investigation into the cause of the incident.

Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 107,305 members