Investigations under way after container is lost overboard

An investigation has been

launched after a container

fell overboard from a vessel

at the Port of Cape Town last

weekend.

According to Pamela

Yoyo, terminal manager:

Cape Town Terminals, the

incident occurred during a

discharge operation from the

vessel CMA CGM Mozart.

“At around

1.30pm a

container fell

overboard.

Attempts

to find the

container

were

immediately

launched,”

she told FTW.

“Whilst the

investigation

is still ongoing, current

indications are that the

operator was loading on the

outward side of the vessel

where weather

conditions

could have

been the

reason for

the incident.

We suspect

that the

underwater

current could

have created

vessel surge

that then

led to the container falling

overboard.”

But, said Yoyo, it was

essential the investigation

took place and ran its course

as it could not be ruled out

as yet that other factors were

involved.

She said attempts to

recover the container had

been unsuccessful leading

to the decision to suspend

all marine operations from

around 7pm on Saturday

evening.

“Divers were unable to

locate the container and so

operations were ceased until

Sunday evening at around

8.30pm when the container

was finally located.”

It is believed the

container could not be

found immediately as it had

drifted between the piles of

the outward extended quay.

Yoyo said whilst bringing

port operations to a halt

always had a major impact,

the danger posed to vessels

by any unguided floating

object could not be ignored.

“All attempts were made to

find the container as quickly

as possible in an effort to

minimise the risk posed.”

Yoyo said the incident was

extremely uncommon for the

Port of Cape Town.

“In the past three to four

years we have not had an

incident of this nature.

When any incident or

incident of similar nature

happens we are very safety

conscious."

Port operations resumed

immediately after the

container was found and all

was back to normal by the

following Monday.

INSERT & CAPTION

In the past three to

four years we have

not had an incident

of this nature.

– Pamela Yoyo