BREAKING: A serious mishap at the Port of Long Beach has left cargo containers in the water, with a light oil sheen developing and a worker injured. Around 75 cargo containers fell from the cargo ship Mississippi while it was offloading at Pier G on July 25, 2023, around 9 a.m., prompting a rapid response from emergency services.
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, but officials have yet to determine the cause of this unusual incident. The containers, which included general cargo such as clothes and electronics, crashed into the water and damaged a smaller clean-air barge connected to the Mississippi.
A miracle occurred as no serious injuries were reported, although one worker aboard the barge sprained an ankle during the chaos. Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan confirmed that fire units were on scene by 9:06 a.m. and established a safety perimeter around the area.
“We are fortunate,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “It could have been a whole lot worse.” Authorities reported that the barge owned by Stax Engineering is responsible for a “very light” oil sheen, with approximately 2,000 gallons of renewable diesel on board. The Coast Guard is actively monitoring the spill, as containment efforts are underway.
The incident has resulted in a 500-yard safety zone around the Mississippi, which was carrying a total of 2,412 containers. The Coast Guard has issued hourly safety broadcasts to alert nearby vessels of potential hazards. Officials are collaborating with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to list affected cargo.
Port of Long Beach Chief Executive Mario Cordero confirmed that operations at the port are ongoing despite the mishap. “The Port of Long Beach is fully operating,” he stated. However, the containers will need to be recovered from the water, and the owners of both the cargo and barge vessels will share cleanup responsibilities.
The incident raises questions about safety protocols. While initial reports indicated no human error, Gary Herrera, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13, emphasized that union workers were not at fault. The Coast Guard is considering multiple factors, including drug and alcohol testing, as part of its investigation.
This mishap comes just days after the Port of Long Beach was recognized as the Best West Coast seaport in North America for the seventh consecutive year by Asia Cargo News. The port plays a critical role in international trade, handling over 9 million twenty-foot containers annually, representing one-fourth of all containers on the West Coast.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
