A container vessel operated by MSC lost some of its cargo of containers
while underway in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal on Thursday,
March 20. The
Portuguese-flagged MSC Houston V had earlier departed Piraeus
in Greece and was en route to Liverpool when it encountered rough seas and wind
gusts of up to 48 knots as Storm Martinho swept through the waters off Cape St
Vincent on Thursday.
At least 15 containers fell into the sea while many of those that
remained on board collapsed with some dangling over the starboard side near the
stern. The ship subsequently sought shelter at the Port of Vigo in Spain to
wait out the storm. It arrived at the port on the morning (local time) of
Friday, March 21.
MSC Houston V is currently berthed at Vigo's Termavi
container terminal as port authorities assess the situation and the condition
of the containers and their cargo.