Severe Weather Causes Container Loss for MSC Houston V Off Portugal
On March 20, the MSC Houston V, a container ship operated by MSC, lost 15 shipping containers in the Atlantic Ocean off Portugal due to severe weather conditions. The Portuguese-flagged vessel had set sail from Piraeus, Greece, and was headed to Liverpool, UK, when it encountered intense seas and wind gusts reaching 48 knots as Storm Martinho impacted the area near Cape St. Vincent.
The storm resulted in several containers being displaced overboard, while many others toppled on deck, with some precariously dangling over the starboard side at the stern. In response to the hazardous weather, the MSC Houston V diverted to the Spanish port of Vigo, where it arrived on the morning of March 21 (local time). The ship is currently docked at Termavi container terminal in Vigo, where port authorities are conducting assessments and inspecting the condition of the remaining containers and their cargo.
