ContainersEuropeOperations

Storm impacts MSC Zoe cleanup operations

Efforts to clean up the debris following the loss of 281 containers over the side of the giant MSC Zoe boxship are being hampered by inclement weather off the Netherlands.

Salvors Ardent Global have been appointed to head the cleanup of the boxes at sea while the Dutch army and many locals have been on hand to pick up the flotsam that has washed up on Dutch beaches, including a national park, over the past week. Some of the debris has included toxic peroxide substances. Cleanup efforts are also ongoing in neighbouring Germany.

“By deploying 4×4 vehicles, tractors and specialist equipment such as a beach vacuum-cleaners the response operation has achieved significant progress on the Frisian islands of Terschelling, Vlieland, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, in the Wadden Sea and on the mainland,” MSC stated in a release on Wednesday afternoon. In total 1,220 metric tons of debris has been collected.

Investigations into how the boxes fell off the 395 m long ship are continuing.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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