At approximately 9:00 AM on Tuesday, US time, a severe container collapse accident occurred on the container ship “MISSISSIPPI,” operated by ZIM (ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.), at Pier G of the Port of Long Beach. The incident resulted in about 67 containers falling into the harbor basin, with additional containers scattered on the dock.
Witness videos from the scene show that the collapse first appeared in the stacked containers at the stern and then quickly spread to the forward area near the bridge. At the moment of the incident, the ship’s hull noticeably tilted outward to starboard, away from the dock. Some containers even fell directly onto a barge operated by STAX Engineering that was moored alongside the ship.
According to a notice from the Port of Long Beach, there have been no reports of injuries so far, and operations at other terminals and the overall port remain unaffected.
Data provided to Maritime Focus by VesselVision, a subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Technology, shows that the “MISSISSIPPI” has a length of 255 meters, a width of 37.3 meters, a container capacity of 5,500 TEU, was built in March 2024, and flies the Portuguese flag. The ship departed from Shenzhen’s Yantian Port on August 26 and arrived at the Port of Long Beach, USA, at around 3:00 AM local time on September 9.
Pier G, where the incident occurred, is operated by International Transportation Service (ITS). The Port of Long Beach stated that cargo handling operations at the terminal have been temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of dockworkers and other personnel. Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard has established a safety zone within 500 yards around the “MISSISSIPPI” and is broadcasting safety advisories hourly to surrounding vessels via VHF radio, alerting them to potential navigation risks. An investigation into the cause of the accident has been initiated, led by the Coast Guard.
It is worth noting that this accident occurs as global attention to container safety within the shipping industry is intensifying. A recent report from the World Shipping Council (WSC) indicated that over 11% of cargo batches inspected in 2024 had stowage-related deficiencies.
