A large MSC containership to broke free from its moorings Tuesday at the port of Durban, South Africa as a powerful storm swept through the area, blowing the ship across the harbor before blocking the entrance to the port.
Photos show the Panama-flagged MSC Ines in a precarious position at the mouth of the harbor as tugs try to corral the 348-meter containership. (We added a video at the bottom)
As of 6 p.m. local time it was unclear if tugs were able to retrieve the vessel. AIS data as of 5 p.m. local time (screenshot below) showed the ship still in the channel with its status as ‘moored‘. In the screenshot below from MarineTraffic.com, you can see the track the MSC Ines took across the harbour.
Elsewhere in Durban, the strong winds knocked over a stack of 40-foot shipping containers. Another container landed on car, killing one person and injuring another, according to Netcare 911.
A fuel barge ran aground near the entrance to San Juan Harbor on Monday while being towed inbound from St. Thomas, prompting a Coast Guard response near Old San Juan’s historic El Morro fortress. Officials say there were no injuries, no pollution reported, and the port remains open to vessel traffic.
Nearly a year after running aground on Newfoundland’s west coast, the container ship MSC Baltic III continues to deteriorate under relentless North Atlantic winter conditions, with recent inspections confirming accelerating hull damage...
The US criticized South Africa for allowing Iran to participate in naval drills off the coast of Cape Town, after conflicting reports about the Islamic Republic’s involvement in the exercises.
January 16, 2026
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