The Unified Command has completed salvage operations for the Pier G container incident. All 95 containers that fell overboard from the vessel Mississippi have been recovered in and around the Port of Long Beach.
Initial counts underestimated the number of containers because several were submerged, crushed, or hidden in the nearby boat basin. At 3:28 p.m., the final container was lifted, officially ending the operation.
“Safety guided every decision — from divers recovering containers to managing vessel traffic through the safety zone,” said Capt. Stacey Crecy, U.S. Coast Guard incident commander. “By working with the Port of Long Beach and partners nationwide, we completed a complex operation and restored safe port operations in just a few weeks.”
Key response actions included:
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Using sonar and remotely operated vehicles to locate submerged containers
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Deploying dive teams to inspect the vessel and assist with recovery
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Repositioning the Mississippi to access trapped containers
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Reducing the safety zone from 500 to 100 yards and keeping mariners informed.
All vessel traffic restrictions have been lifted, and Pier G terminal operations are fully restored. During the salvage phase, 142 vessel transits were authorized to maintain port activity.
“This was a rare and complex operation,” said Michael Goldschmidt, Port of Long Beach incident commander. “We thank the Coast Guard, salvage teams, vessel managers, and ILWU workers for ensuring a safe and quick return to normal.”
The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident.
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