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Image:Puerto de Vigo
Rough seas and violent winds forced the Portugal-flagged MSC Houston V to divert to the Port of Vigo after suffering container losses and damage during its voyage from Piraeus to Liverpool.
The 4,400 TEU container vessel, operated by MSC, was navigating waters off Cape St. Vincent on March 20 when it encountered extreme weather linked to Storm Martinho. The storm battered the vessel with wind gusts reaching up to 90 km/h, causing severe rolling and shifting of the cargo on deck.
Container stacks collapsed in a domino effect, and some boxes were left hanging precariously off the starboard side near the stern. The violent motion damaged parts of the ship’s deck, with at least 15 containers reportedly lost overboard. Early assessments indicate none of the lost containers contained hazardous materials.
Caught in increasingly hazardous conditions, the crew made the decision to seek shelter. The vessel arrived safely at the Port of Vigo in Galicia on the morning of March 21. Currently docked at the Termavi container terminal at Guixar pier, the ship is undergoing inspection and partial cargo restow operations to stabilize the load before continuing its route north.
Port authorities and local maritime responders have been coordinating with the ship’s crew to assess damage and manage the container losses. While the full scope of the incident is still being evaluated, preliminary investigations suggest the cargo collapse was triggered by a combination of rough seas and shifting weight due to container stacking inconsistencies, exacerbated by the storm.
The MSC Houston V, which operates under the Portuguese flag, is a regular caller on the East Mediterranean–Northern Europe trade route. The disruption caused by the incident is expected to delay her arrival in Liverpool and could ripple through connecting schedules along the route.
No injuries have been reported, and authorities are continuing to monitor the situation for any environmental impact related to the lost containers.
Source:WorldCargo
