Salvage operations have begun in order to open a channel to allow ships to safely transit to and from Pier G at the Port of Long Beach following an incident on Tuesday morning (local time) that caused an estimated 75 shipping containers to fall from the cargo ship Mississippi.
Officials from the unified command – consisting of federal, state, local agencies and representatives of the vessels involved – gathered again on Wednesday at the Port of Long Beach Joint Command and Control Center to guide operations in response to the incident.
Two sunken cargo containers were retrieved from the bottom of the basin on Wednesday.
Additionally, responders secured the source of a fuel leak originating from an at-berth emissions control barge moored alongside the container vessel. The tank contained about 2,000 gallons (7,500 litres) of renewable diesel.
Cargo operations at the port have been mostly unaffected by the incident, except in a 500-yard (460-metre) safety zone placed around the container vessel Mississippi, which was carrying 2,412 containers at the time of the incident.
The US Coast Guard, Jacobsen Port Pilots, and the Port of Long Beach are working together to facilitate navigation in accordance with the safety zone.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has assured the public that officials are cognizant of the seriousness of any interruption of cargo flow at the Port of Long Beach.
There has been one reported minor injury related to the incident.
“This is still a dynamic situation with many unknowns,” said Captain Stacey Crecy, Commander, US Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. “However, we have contingency plans in place and are working with the intent to restore all port activities as soon and as safely as possible.”
