Tag: navigation warning

Search on for containers lost overboard off South Africa’s Indian Ocean: SAMSA

Pretoria: 03 September 2024

Brief interviews with SAMSA ship surveyor, Ms Mbali Mbonambi and 2OPIC official, Mr Vishal Pragraj while on aerial search for containers recently lost at sea on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline.

A search for cargo containers lost overboard off a number of vessels along South Africa’s Indian Ocean corridor over the last month continues, while two of the vessels most recently affected – the MV CMA CMG Belem, currently in the port of Ngqurha, and the MSC Antonio, now safely berthed in Cape Town – continue with their onboard cargo loads adjustments.

This is according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) in a statement on Monday afternoon and in which it confirmed the safe arrival of the MSC Antonia at the port of Cape Town.

The vessel – a container ship sailing under the flag of Liberia – was the latest reported to haved suffered bad wintry weather conditions along South Africa’s Indian Ocean corridor leading to a loss of as many as 40 containers overboard, and for which a navigational warning has since been issued, along with a public call to report any sightings of the containers along the country’s eastern seaboard.

In the statement on Monday, SAMSA reported that the MSC Antonio had safely arrived in Cape Town on the day following an incident on 28 August 2024, during which severe weather conditions led to the loss of 46 containers overboard and damage to 305 containers on board.

“The incident occurred approximately 29 nautical miles northeast of Port St. Johns while the vessel was en-route from Colombo to New York. In light of the container loss, a navigation warning has been issued to all vessels operating in the affected area.

“The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) urges all maritime operators and the public to exercise caution. We request that any sightings of containers or debris along the South African coastline be reported immediately to local authorities or SAMSA by contacting the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at 021 938 3300 with the position, number, and colour of the containers if observed,” said SAMSA

The MSC Antonio incident followed shortly after the CMA CMG Belem also docked for a safe berth at the post of Ngqurha a few days earlier, having reportedly lost close to a 100 containers overboard due to bad weather, in an area adjacent Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal provincial coast line.

The Malta-flagged CMA CGM Belem cargo vessel at shelter in Algoa Bay, near Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province, South Africa on Sunday 18 Augusts 2024; after losing numerous containers at sea in the Indian Ocean on Thursday evening. (Photo. SAMSA)

At the time, SAMSA reported that the CMA CGM Belem, a container ship sailing under the Maltese flag, encountered severe weather off the coast of Richards Bay on the night of 15 August 2024, resulting in a significant stow collapse and a loss of 99 containers overboard.

The vessel, which measuring 336 meters in length, 51 meters in height, and a draft of 14.8 meters, had initially sought refuge at Maputo Bay but was redirected to Gqeberha.

On Friday last week, the ship’s insurer representatives in South Africa launched a five hour aerial surveillance and search for the vessel’s lost containers after several sightings of floating containers along the Wild Coast area of the Eastern Cape province were reported to SAMSA.

One of as many as 19 containers spotted at sea in an area along the Transkei Wild Coast during an aerial search on Friday last week (Photo: SAMSA)

However, during the search, while about 20 containers could be spotted by the search team in a fixed wing aircraft, it could not be readily established that any belonged to the CMA CGM Belem.

That notwithstanding, a SAMSA representative that was part of the aerial search team said in a brief interview that it remained important that action be taken to locate any containers still floating in the ocean area in the interest of safety of life and property at sea, as well as environmental protection.

On Monday afternoon, SAMSA confirmed the issuance of a navigational warning to vessels traversing the ocean area, as well as a public appeal for reports of any sightings of floating containers.

Said SAMSA: “Efforts are ongoing to search for the lost containers. The safety of the crew, the vessel, and the environment remains our top priority. SAMSA wishes to remind the public of the potential and unnecessary danger that may arise from attempting to salvage any wreckage that may wash ashore.

“We strongly urge the public to avoid handling any debris and instead contact the authorities, who will arrange for the safe salvage and disposal of the wreckage.”

In Cape Town, the MSC Antonia would undergo a comprehensive assessment and necessary repairs, said SAMSA adding that: “Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew, and the ship was able to continue its voyage safely despite the incident.

“Further updates will be provided as the situation develops and more information becomes available.”

End

Malta-flagged ultra large container vessel sails off Algoa Bay as hunt for lost containers continues on South Africa’s east coast: SAMSA

Maltese flagged new generation ultra large container vessel, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin departed from South Africa on Tuesday night after a weekend of cargo hold examination and strenghtening following to a week of adverse weather at sea and during which dozens of containers were lost overboard in the Indian Ocean. (Photo: SAMSA)

Pretoria: 18 July 2024

Efforts to locate more than three dozen goods containers that fell off at sea from one of the world’s biggest cargo containerships in the world currently, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, while sailing on the Indian Ocean alongside South Africa a week ago, continue in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape; according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)

That is, even as the new generation ultra large Maltese flagged container vessel has departed from Algoa Bay where it had sought shelter from adverse weather, and to have her cargo hold strengthened for the rest of her journey to western Europe, confirmed SAMSA on Thurssday.

The CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin had anchored in Algoa Bay on Friday last week, after a harrowing bad weather experience on the Indian Ocean along South Africa, and during which she reported a loss of forty-four (44) containers overboard.

According to SAMSA, the incident occurred in the Indian Ocean earlier in the morning of 09 July 2024 and during which she reported a collapsed container stack. The vessel then diverted to Algoa Bay, where she anchored in sheltered waters to undergo a comprehensive damage assessment inclusive of the remaining cargo still onboard.

A ship navigation warning had since been issued by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) based at SAMSA’s Centre for Sea Watch & Response in Cape Town, and remains in place.

On Thursday morning, in a statement, SAMSA said: “The ultra-large container vessel, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin has left Algoa Bay. She sailed on the evening of Tuesday, 16 July 2024. She had been anchored in sheltered waters in Algoa Bay since last week, undergoing a comprehensive assessment while her cargo was being secured. The vessel had reported a collapsed container stack and the loss of 44 containers at sea.

“The vessel was cleared to sail, after the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) assessed a cargo securing plan that was received from the Owners, to secure the damaged cargo stacks. After the cargo stacks were secured in Algoa Bay, the Owners identified a suitable weather window to conduct the passage around the Cape of Good Hope.

“To ensure that any settling of cargo during the sea passage is dealt with, the Owner has opted to keep a Cargo Securing Specialist and a team of Rope Access Technicians (RATs) on board for the voyage northward.

“By Wednesday, 17 July 2024, at noon, the vessel was reported making good speed towards Cape Agulhas and on Thursday morning she was passing St Helena Bay.

“The next phase of the operation is to understand the fate of the containers that are on the seabed. It is highly probable that these containers are located on the seabed outside of South African waters in depths of more than 500 meters. SAMSA and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) will be working closely with the owner and their insurers to chart a way forward regarding the containers on the seabed.

“A navigation warning to all vessels operating in the area remains active, advising them to navigate with caution. Vessels and the public are urged to report any sightings of the lost containers to the relevant authorities by contacting the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) on telephone number 021 938 3300 with the position, number, and colour of the containers if observed,” said SAMSA

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