An MSC containership has run aground at the Port of Gioia Tauro, Italy’s largest container port, halting operations.
The Panama-flagged 8,566 TEU MSC Elaine was about to leave the port to reach Malta on 9 January accompanied by two tugboats.
The vessel reportedly turned late while exiting the port and ended up with the port side of the bow above a breakwater, blocking all other port operations.
Five tugboats are currently working to refloat the ship, after strong winds with peaks of 52 knots hindered rescue operations during the night.
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The local port authority said they will investigate the incident. The ship will also undergo a series of checks before resuming navigation on the Malta route.
From an initial underwater inspection, MSC Elaine does not appear to have suffered serious damage nor spillage.
Port operations at Gioia Tauro have been severely impacted.
Just yesterday, a cargo ship that went aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal was successfully refloated.
Bulk carrier MV Glory was carrying 65,000 metric tons of corn from Ukraine bound for China when it ran aground on 9 January near the Egyptian city of El-Qantara, according to canal services firm Leth Agencies.
