The incident occurred on September 9, 2025, involving the container ship “Mississippi” while docked at Pier G at the Port of Long Beach, California, for operations.
Event Details
Occurrence Time: Approximately 9:00 AM local time on September 9, 2025
Occurrence Location: Pier G, Port of Long Beach, California, USA
Vessel Involved: MV Mississippi, a 2024-built, Portuguese-flagged container ship operating on the ZIM ZEX service
Accident Manifestations: The container stack collapsed, with some containers falling into the sea and others collapsing on board the vessel
Number of Containers Lost: Approximately 67 containers fell into the sea (initially reported), subsequently updated to 75; approximately 70 containers collapsed on board the vessel
Cargo Type: The containers that fell into the sea primarily contained common e-commerce products such as clothing, footwear, and electronics, as well as electric bicycles, power cables, and boys’ clothing
Casualties: One person suffered minor injuries (a barge worker sprained his ankle while avoiding a falling container); no other serious injuries have been reported
Preliminary cause suggests: Improper loading and unloading operations, and ineffective securing of equipment
Current Status: Salvage and cleanup in progress; vessel in unstable condition (container stack still tilted, preventing boarding and inspection); operations at Pier G were suspended.
ℹ️Additional Accident Details
The vessel was unloading at Pier G at the time of the incident. The container stack collapsed, sending some containers into the sea and others striking and damaging the anti-pollution vessel “STAX 2,” docked alongside the vessel and collecting emissions. Following the incident, the Port of Long Beach established a Joint Command (including the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department, Long Beach Port Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and relevant commercial representatives) to respond. The Coast Guard established a safety zone around the vessel and issued hourly maritime safety broadcasts.
🌊Environmental Impact and Handling
Some of the fallen containers were loaded with low-density “dump cargo” such as clothing, shoes, and hats. This caused most of the containers to appear to float, but some also sank below the surface. Port authorities have deployed patrol boats to spray water at the scene to prevent the containers from drifting away with the tide.
💸Advice for Shippers
Shippers and freight forwarders with cargo on this vessel are advised to promptly coordinate with all parties, collect evidence, file claims in accordance with the law, and implement mitigation measures. They should also be mindful of timelines to avoid losing benefits due to procedural oversights.
