Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and local authorities have begun a clean-up of Dutch and German coastlines after a number of boxes were lost overboard from one of the carrier’s ultra-large containerships.
MSC said it is working with a number of salvage companies to recover the containers that were lost on Wednesday when the 19,224-dwt MSC Zoe (built 2015) encountered rough seas on its way to Bremerhaven, Germany.
The exact number of containers lost has not yet been disclosed.
“MSC is not giving a detailed account of the cargo on board to the general public at this time, since such matters are often confidential between the shipping line and its customers,” the Diego Aponte-led carrier said in a statement on Friday.
“However, in relation to some reports from authorities about dangerous cargo, we would like to inform the public that we are not aware at this time of any public injury from the cargo in MSC-carried containers spilled overboard,” the company went on.
It also said people should be particularly cautious of containers or drums labelled as having hazardous content.
"These should only be touched under supervision of the authorities or clean-up experts."
Eight containers’ worth of materials were collected on Thursday from the Frisian island of Terschelling, where an industrial raking machine was deployed to comb the beach.
The material being collected in the Frisian Islands will be sent to the mainland for storage and treatment. Some will be recycled or else used as building insulation.
Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (Havariekommando) is assisting in locating lost boxes within German waters.
Fast boats for picking up and towing drifting containers and sonar-tracing vessels for underwater recovery are being utilised in the clean-up.
The boats are able to pick up lost boxes using a hydraulic, remotely operated grab.
“We are committed to supporting this clean-up operation as long as required,” MSC said.
The carrier is analysing the causes of the incident, a statement on Wednesday said.
The ship was on its way to Bremerhaven, Germany, when it ran into "heavy weather " in the North Sea.
The vessel reached the German port later that day to offload remaining cargo and is currently moored there, according to Vessels Value.
