South Africa Launches Another Search for Lost Containers

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has initiated a search operation for five empty containers lost overboard by the MV MSC Taranto, a Mediterranean Shipping Company containership, off the coast of South Africa.

The incident occurred on October 2, 2024, between 01:00 and 04:00 local time, along the west coast between Mossel Bay and Stillbaai.

SAMSA has issued a navigational warning to vessels in the area, urging them to be vigilant and report any sightings of the containers – two yellow and three red – which pose a potential hazard to maritime navigation.

“SAMSA, in collaboration with other relevant authorities, is actively working on locating and recovering the containers,” the authority stated.

This incident is part of a recent trend of cargo losses from containerships. In the past few months, at least five other vessels—including the MV Benjamin Franklin, MV CMA CGM Belem, MV Maersk Stepnica, MV Rio Grande Express, and MSC Antonia—have collectively lost nearly 200 containers during a series of winter storms.

The incidents coincide with an increase in vessel traffic around the Cape of Good Hope as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea prompt services to reroute around South Africa.

In a separate development, SAMSA confirmed the release of another MSC vessel, the MV MSC Apollo, which had been detained in Algoa Bay following an oil spill on September 7th. The vessel’s owners completed a root cause investigation, resulting in necessary repairs and inspections.

The oil spill significantly impacted the local wildlife, particularly the penguin population on St Croix Island. SAMSA reported that 13 oiled penguins were rescued and transported to a rehabilitation facility. While one penguin died due to poor condition, nine have been washed, and the remaining are receiving care.

“The vessel owners had co-operated with the Authorities by paying the fines that were issued and provided a letter of undertaking to cover all reasonable cost of the clean up and penguin rehabilitation,” SAMSA said.

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