Normal operations at the Port of Long Beach resumed on Wednesday as an investigation into the cause of a cargo accident that occurred the day before, where 75 shipping containers spilled into the ocean water continues, port officials said.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the cause of the incident, which occurred just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy said at a Wednesday news conference that of the 2,412 cargo containers aboard the cargo ship Mississippi, 75 fell into the water as the vessel was unloading at Pier G in the port.
“It’s still a dynamic situation with many unknowns,” Crecy said. Many of the containers fell on top of an emissions collection barge tied off next to the ship, and Crecy noted that luckily, no one on the barge or on the vessel was injured.
“The barge suffered some damage, and there has been a sheen reported coming from the barge,” she said.
The accident was captured on video taken by a bystander, which showed stacks of the containers collapsing off the ship. Aerial footage taken right afterwards showed shipping containers floating in the ocean water, near the Mississippi vessel.
“The container ship and emissions barge activated their salver and oil spill response organizations, and the U.S. Coast Guard will be working with them to develop plans to safely recover the containers and allow the vessel and barge to move from the area.”
Port officials said sonar surveys are being conducted to locate between 25 to 30 containers submerged in the harbor, to ensure safe ship movement in the area.
Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said, despite yesterday’s accident, operations have fully resumed.
“It’s a dangerous job, and sometimes people don’t realize how dangerous this job is for the men and women who work on the docks,” Cordero said.
“The message to the public is that the situation is under control, cargo is moving, and we’re keeping the labor force moving and working.”
The Coast Guard continues to maintain a 500-yard safety zone on the water surrounding the Mississippi.
