Salvage operations are advancing at the Port of Long Beach following the Sept. 9 container vessel Mississippi incident at Pier G.
The Container Recovery Group, working with salvage crews and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), has retrieved 54 containers from the pier and surrounding waters, up from 32 on Sept. 14. Efforts continue both shoreside and waterside to recover the remaining containers.
“Safety continues to be the highest priority as the Port of Long Beach collaborates with the U.S. Coast Guard, vessel operators, salvage teams and ILWU workers through the next phases of recovery,” said Michael Goldschmidt, Incident Commander for the response.
In parallel, unaffected containers are being unloaded from the Mississippi to provide safe access to a damaged emissions control barge. Once cleared, crews will shift focus to removing damaged containers from the vessel. Coast Guard safety officers remain on site to oversee operations.
Since Sept. 17, the Captain of the Port has approved 55 commercial vessel transits through the 500-yard safety zone established around the Mississippi.
“The progress we’ve achieved reflects the outstanding coordination across agencies and industry partners,” said Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy, Incident Coordinator for the response. “Fifty-five safe commercial vessel transits demonstrate not only the effectiveness of the safety measures in place, but also the seamless coordination … to keep commerce moving while recovery operations continue.”
The safety zone remains in place and is enforced by Coast Guard small boat crews, Port of Long Beach Harbor Patrol, and the Long Beach Police Department. The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate the cause of the incident.
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