Ship Loses Containers in Heavy Weather Off South Africa

MV MSC Palak. Filee Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Carsten Feldhusen

Yet another containership has lost containers overboard in stormy weather.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority said it is investigating the loss of as many as 23 containers overboard from the MSC Palak in Algoa Bay near Port Elizabeth, located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape region.

The 9,411-TEU MSC Palak was at anchor riding out heavy weather when the incident took place just before midnight on Tuesday, July 14.

“The container vessel MSC Palak sailed out Port of Ngqura at 12:00 on the 13th of July 2020 due to high winds and anchored in Number 2 anchorage to ride out the heavy weather. On the 13th and 14th of July 2020 a severe storm passed the South African coast, causing heavy weather in Algoa Bay. The swell height measured in Algoa Bay was approximately 3.5m,” SAMSA reported in a blog post.

“At 23:37 on the 14th of July 2020 of a report was received from Port Control that the MSC Palak had lost containers overboard while at anchor,” the post said.

The initial assessment was that six containers had fallen overboard and sank. During an overflight at first light the following day however, it was confirmed that 23 containers were lost overboard.

A fishing vessel reported on Wednesday that they witnessed containers drifting approximately 7 nautical miles south of where the containers were lost.

The Port of Ngqura was closed for vessel traffic due to risk that some containers may have sunk in the approach channel

“An aerial surveillance flight was arranged by the owners to locate any drifting containers that may pose a hazard to shipping. SAMSA requests the public to remain vigilant and report any containers sighted to SAMSA,” the organization said.

No hazardous cargo was reported lost in the incident.

This incident marks the latest overboard container incident reported in the last two months.

In late May, the APL England lost about 50 containers overboard off the coast of Syndey, Australia, resulting in charges against the ship’s master. About a month later a Liberian-flagged containership lost three containers overboard off the coast of Western Australia. On June 22, a Hawaiian interisland barge lost more than 20 containers overboard off the coast of Hilo.

Unfortunately the incidents do not help the World Shipping Council’s ambition of having zero containers lost at sea each year. Read: Actual Number of Containers Lost at Sea Falling, WSC Survey Shows