NEW YORK: Salvage operations have begun at the Port of Long Beach to clear a safe passage for ships following an incident on Tuesday morning that caused about 75 containers to fall from the cargo vessel Mississippi.
A unified command, comprising federal, state and local agencies along with representatives of the vessels involved, met again on Wednesday at the port’s Joint Command and Control Center to direct the response. Two sunken containers were retrieved from the basin the same day.
Authorities also secured a fuel leak from an emissions control barge moored alongside the vessel. The leak originated from a tank containing about 2,000 gallons (7,500 litres) of renewable diesel.
Cargo operations at the port remain largely unaffected, except for a 500-yard (460-metre) safety zone around the Mississippi, which was carrying 2,412 containers at the time of the incident.
The US Coast Guard, Jacobsen Port Pilots, and port officials are coordinating efforts to manage navigation within the restricted zone.
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Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said officials were aware of the importance of keeping cargo flow uninterrupted. One minor injury related to the incident has been reported.
“This is still a dynamic situation with many unknowns,” said Captain Stacey Crecy, Commander of US Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. “We have contingency plans in place and are working to restore full port operations as quickly and safely as possible.”
According to the Coast Guard, the collapse began at 8:48 a.m. during unloading operations. The vessel had docked earlier that morning after sailing from Vietnam and China. Around 75 containers went into the harbor, while several others fell onto the pier. Two rows of containers aboard the ship collapsed, leaving many still leaning precariously.
The Coast Guard described the response and investigation as “dynamic.” The immediate focus is on safety and securing the site. The USCG Pacific Strike Team is leading the recovery, with at least two containers lifted on Wednesday. Sonar is being used to locate others, with an estimated 25–30 containers submerged. Floating containers have been gathered in one area for retrieval.