Battered Ship Arrives In Long Beach With Cargo Stacks Hanging Near Collapse

LONG BEACH, CA — A storm-battered cargo ship has berthed at the Port of Long Beach with cargo teetering on the edge of collapse after a storm that caused it to lose dozens of containers and triggered a U.S. Coast Guard response.

The ultra-large container ship OOCL Sunflower, which has a capacity of 16,828 20-foot cargo containers, was en route from south of the Aleutian Islands to the Port of Long Beach earlier this month when it encountered rough seas and 32 containers went overboard, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Upon arriving in Long Beach on March 12, the vessel was kept offshore for several days due to concerns about the stability of the remaining cargo, according to the Coast Guard.

In addition to the 32 lost containers, another 57 were reported damaged or shifted on deck. A 100-yard safety zone has been established around the vessel as crews begin offloading the cargo and inspectors survey the damage.

There have been no reports of injuries or of pollution arising from the incident, other than the lost 32 cargo containers, authorities said.