The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has launched a search operation for five empty containers lost overboard the Mediterranean Shipping Company’s container ship MV MSC Taranto off the coast of South Africa.
The incident occurred on October 2, 2024, between 1am and 4am local time, along the west coast between Mossel Bay and Stilby.
SAMSA has issued a navigational warning to vessels in the area, urging them to be alert and report any sightings of containers (two yellow and three red) that pose a potential danger to maritime navigation.
“SAMSA, in collaboration with other relevant authorities, is actively working to locate and recover the container,” the agency said.
This incident is part of a recent trend in cargo losses from container ships. In the past few months, at least five ships, including MV Benjamin Franklin, MV CMA CGM Belen, MV Maersk Stepnica, MV Rio Grande Express, and MSC Antonia, have been damaged in a series of winter storms, totaling nearly 200 vessels. I lost my container.
The incident coincides with an increase in shipping traffic around the Cape of Good Hope as ships reroute around South Africa following Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
In a separate development, SAMSA confirmed the release of another MSC ship, the MV MSC Apollo, which was detained in Algoa Bay following the September 7 oil spill. The vessel’s owner has completed a root cause investigation and necessary repairs and inspections have been made.
The oil spill had a major impact on local wildlife, particularly the St. Croix penguin population. SAMSA reported that 13 penguins covered in oil were rescued and taken to a rehabilitation facility. One penguin died due to poor conditions, but nine have been cleaned and the rest are receiving treatment.
“The vessel owners cooperated with the authorities by submitting an undertaking to pay the fines imposed and to cover all reasonable costs of cleanup and rehabilitation of the penguins,” SAMSA said.
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