More than 60 shipping containers topple from cargo ship at Port of Long Beach
Containers from the Portugal-flagged vessel Mississippi fell into harbor waters Sept. 9; Pier G terminal temporarily halted operations and no injuries were reported
More than 60 shipping containers toppled from a cargo ship and into the water at the Port of Long Beach on Tuesday morning, disrupting operations at one terminal but causing no reported injuries.
The containers fell off the Portugal-flagged vessel Mississippi shortly before 9 a.m. Sept. 9, officials said. Port of Long Beach spokesperson Art Marroquin said no injuries were reported. The U.S. Coast Guard posted on the social platform X that about 67 containers were in the water.
The Mississippi was moored at Pier G when the containers came loose; some appeared to have toppled onto the STAX 2, an anti-pollution vessel attached to the side of the ship that captures emissions. Pier G, one of six container terminals operated at the port, temporarily stopped unloading and loading ships while authorities worked to secure the fallen units.
The Port of Long Beach, about 20 miles south of Los Angeles, handles a substantial share of U.S. seaborne trade. Together with the Port of Los Angeles, the two facilities account for roughly 40% of the shipping containers that enter the United States. Any disruption at Pier G can reverberate through supply chains that rely on Southern California gateways.
Officials said salvage and cleanup efforts were underway to recover the containers and secure the vessel. Authorities did not immediately disclose the cause of the incident. The Mississippi arrived in Long Beach after departing Yantian port in Shenzhen, China, on Aug. 26, according to vessel-tracking websites.
Empty containers typically weigh between two and four metric tons depending on size; loaded weights vary widely. The presence of dozens of containers in the water raised concerns about marine navigation and potential pollution, prompting the port and Coast Guard to coordinate response measures.
Eyewitness and media photos showed multiple containers floating near the ship and alongside the pier. The incident comes as U.S. ports have faced periodic disruptions from weather, labor issues and accidents that can affect inventory flows and delivery schedules for retailers, manufacturers and logistics firms.
Port officials did not provide an estimate for how long Pier G operations would remain suspended or what economic impact, if any, the incident might have on regional cargo movement. The Coast Guard continues to monitor the scene and work with port authorities on recovery and safety operations.
Long Beach authorities said they would release further updates as recovery progressed and investigations into the circumstances continued. The port's immediate priorities were securing the site, ensuring worker and public safety, and minimizing environmental harm while restoring terminal operations.