An MSC-operated containership, the Portuguese-flagged MSC Houston V, lost several containers and sustained damage after encountering severe weather in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel, with a capacity of 4,432 TEU, was en route from Piraeus, Greece, to Liverpool when it was struck by Storm Martinho. The storm hit the waters off Cape St. Vincent, near Portugal, bringing heavy seas and wind gusts reaching 48 knots.
The storm caused a partial collapse of the ship’s cargo stacks, leading to the loss of at least 15 containers overboard. Many others were damaged or left precariously hanging from the starboard side of the vessel.
Built in 2010, the 266-meter-long MSC Houston V was forced to divert to Vigo, Spain, for emergency repairs. The ship is now docked at the Termavi Terminal, where port authorities are working on a plan to safely remove or reposition the damaged containers.
To ensure the safety of both the workers and the terminal, the port authority has temporarily removed cranes from the area and deployed a mobile crane for the operation. “At this time, it is uncertain how long the operation will take. Safety measures and logistics are still being worked out. The important thing is that the ship is safely docked, posing no immediate risk to navigation, especially to fishing vessels due to the vessel’s size,” said Carlos Botana, president of the Vigo Port Authority.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of securing cargo during extreme weather conditions and the importance of swift response protocols to mitigate the impact on both ships and port operations.
