MSC Zoe Begins Clean-up Ops
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has started a clean-up operation in response to a substantial spill of containers in the North Sea.
The Panama-registered MSC Zoe shed 270 containers containing mostly toys, furniture and auto spare parts while battling a storm off the Frisian Islands, an archipelago off the northwestern Dutch coast also known as the Wadden Islands.
"The cargo ship MSC Zoe encountered heavy weather while sailing toward Bremerhaven, Germany, on 2 January. Unfortunately, a number of the containers were damaged or lost overboard amid very difficult conditions," said a statement from the company.
MSC appointed on 2 January a salvage company to coordinate the retrieval of cargo and beach clean-up operations and is also deploying specialised ships equipped with sonar to search for missing cargo at sea.
MSC takes this incident very seriously, both in terms of the impact of such accidents on the natural environment and in terms of any damage to customers’ cargo.
In all aspects of the clean-up MSC is collaborating with local authorities.
MSC Zoe proceeded to Bremerhaven for cargo discharge operations. In the meantime, MSC is analysing the causes of the incident.
MSC will ensure that customers who seek further information receive direct communications in the coming days. They are invited to contact local MSC representatives.