Large Containership Breaks Moorings, Blocks Shipping Channel in Durban - PHOTOS

Photo: Gary Bowler

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.