A Unified Command has been established to respond to an incident that caused an estimated 67 shipping containers to fall off the cargo ship Mississippi and into the water at Pier G within the Port of Long Beach just after 9 a.m on September 9.
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department, Port of Long Beach, Army Corps of Engineers and other commercial representatives are responding to the incident.
A smaller clean air barge was connected to the Mississippi at the time of the accident and was damaged by several fallen containers.
No injuries have been reported. No other terminals or Port operations have been impacted.
Cargo operations have been temporarily suspended at Pier G – although the terminal is open to truckers – as operations continue to ensure the safety of dockworkers and other Port personnel.
Unified Command agencies have dispatched numerous vessels and aircraft to assess the situation and provide assistance.
The Coast Guard established a safety zone 500 yards around the Mississippi and is issuing marine safety broadcasts every hour to alert other vessels of the navigation and safety hazards. The Coast Guard is also leading the effort to determine the cause of the incident.
The Unified Command is asking nonresponding personnel to remain clear of the area around the containers.
The original announcement can be found here.
