Please see below information from Transnet about containers blown into Durban harbour..
High winds blow empty containers into Durban harbour but port still open
[Durban, South Africa, 13/12/2014] High winds gusting at 35 to 40 knots blew 10 empty containers into the Durban Harbour, from a ship a berth 108 at the Durban Container Terminal, yesterday (Friday) afternoon at about 4.30pm.
All the containers sunk in the vicinity of berths 105, 107, 108, 200 and 202 and are estimated to be about 11metres down.
Subtech’s divers have located and marked all the sunken containers with buoys. Transnet National Ports Authority has mobilized its floating crane and MSC mobilized a mobile landside crane to recover the containers. It is estimated that this could take between 15 and 20 hours depending on the weather.
“A ship that had finished loading containers at berth at 105 had to first sail to enable the container recovery process to start. The recovery process, which started at 3pm after the container ship had sailed, is painstaking. The divers have to attach the submerged container to the crane lifting gear. It is then slowly raised so that the water can drain out of it before it is returned to the landside,” said Captain Alex Miya Harbour Master, Port of Durban.
The Port of Durban remains open for shipping. No-one was injured in the incident.
Ends
About Transnet National Ports Authority
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is one of five operation divisions of Transnet SOC Ltd. The National Ports Authority is responsible for the safe, effective and efficient economic functioning of the national port system, which it manages in a landlord capacity. It provides port infrastructure and marine services at the eight commercial seaports in South Africa – Richards Bay, Durban, Saldanha, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mossel Bay and Ngqura. It operates within a legislative and regulatory environment and is governed by the National Ports Act (Act No. 12 of 2005).
Issued by: On behalf of: Lesley van Duffelen Captain Alex Miya Corporate Affairs Port of Durban Harbour Master, Port of Durban Transnet National Ports Authority Transnet National Ports Authority Tel: 031 361 8527 alex.miya@transnet.net lesley.vanduffelen@transnet.net
