Madrid Bridge to Discharge Damaged Containers in Charleston, ONE Says

The MV Madrid Bridge is expected to arrived in Charleston, South Carolina on Thursday where the plan is to discharge scores of damaged containers after its container collapse incident in the North Atlantic Ocean earlier this month, the ship’s operator reported Friday.

Madrid Bridge will berth at the Hugh K. Leatherman terminal after completing the necessary inspection and assessment of the vessel’s condition.

The ship’s operator, Japan’s Ocean Network Express (ONE), said all damaged units and Charleston imports will be discharged while there, subject to prevailing conditions.

The containership lost some 60 containers overboard and another 80 collapsed on deck while on passage in the Atlantic Ocean from Singapore to New York back on January 7. Rather than proceeding to New York, the ship was re-routed to Charleston, skipping its Norfolk, Virginia and Savannah, Georgia port calls.

The ship’s owner, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd (K Line), reported previously there were no injuries and no loss of containers with dangerous cargo.

The Japanese-registered Madrid Bridge is a 14,6778 dwt containership built in 2018. It is 365.94 meters in length and has a cargo carrying capacity of 13,900 TEU. K Line Ship management is the ship’s manager. The ship is operated on ONE’s East Coast 4 (EC4) Service.

Based on past similar incidents, the Madrid Bridge could remain out of service for months as it undergoes cargo operations.

“More details on the schedule recovery and cargo arrangement will be advised once information is available,” ONE said in its update on Wednesday.

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up