Hit by the Martinho storm, the ship then reached the port of Vigo, where a plan is being defined to safely manage the cargo.
The container ship MSC Houston V sailing under the flag of Portugal (Madeira). is now safe in the port of Vigo, where it will undergo inspections. The ship was the victim of the Martinho storm on March 21, which caused the loss of 15 containers at sea, according to initial estimates.
More precisely, the ship is now moored at the Termavi terminal, where a mobile crane has been placed (two others previously present on the quay have been moved) to facilitate the unloading of the boxes.
Wind gusts of up to 48 Kenots
The 4,400 TEU vessel was en route from port of Piraeus, Greece, to Liverpool, United Kingdom, when it was caught in rough seas and wind gusts of up to 48 Kenots as Storm Martinho swept through the waters off Cape St Vincent on Thursday.
Initial findings
According to initial findings, reported in some newspapers, the thrust caused the stacks of boxes to collapse, causing at least 15 of them to fall, as well as causing others to tilt sharply and be damaged, as can be seen from the photos published by the port authority of Vigo, the port where the ship later found refuge, on its social media profiles.
Based on the images of the vessel
Based on the images of the vessel, the aft-most container bays experienced cargo collapse, causing multiple container stacks to topple on each other like dominos. Some containers were left dangling over the starboard side near the stern damaging the deck in the process. The harsh conditions resulted in the loss of at least 15 containers overboard, according to initial media reports, with no hazardous cargo among the lost containers.
Seeking refuge from the storm, the MSC Houston V arrived at the Port of Vigo on the morning of March 21 and is currently berthed at the Termavi container terminal at the Guixar pier. It is expected to take a few days to re-stow and secure the cargo before the vessel can resume its passage to Northern Europe
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The port authority commented
At the moment,” the port authority commented in a post on March 21, “we are planning the operations, so that they are safe for both the workers and the infrastructure. safety so that the operation is safe for both the unloaders and the infrastructure.
When the weather improves, we will get to work to straighten the cargo so that the ship can continue its journey.” The president of the authority, Carlos Botana, added: “The important thing is that the ship is now in port and does not represent a risk for navigation, especially for fishing boats, given its size.”
On his Linkedin profile, Botana then shared a post of thanks addressed to the pilots and crew of the Vigo tugboats, Botamavi Servicios Generales Maritimos Sl and Remolcanosa, for having allowed the emergency docking of the ship in the container terminal of the port.
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The key role of these waters as a natural shelter
Added the post :The recent episode involving the container ship MSC Houston V, which suffered a cargo landslide due to the Martinho storm and sought refuge in the Vigo estuary, once again demonstrates the key role of these waters as a natural shelter against the adversities of the Atlantic. Throughout history, the Vigo estuary has offered safe shelter to numerous ships in distress, becoming a strategic point for navigation.
🚨La Terminal de Contenedores del @PuertoDeVigo da cobijo al MSC Houston V tras sufrir un corrimiento de la carga durante su travesía debido al temporal pic.twitter.com/XQHHcrnB9y
— Puerto de Vigo (@PuertoDeVigo) March 21, 2025
