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A coastal container ship was forced to divert to Vigo, Spain, after suffering a container stack collapse while sailing between Portugal and Spain during severe winter weather.
The 30,000-dwt container vessel Maria Francisca had departed Lisbon on 14 January when it encountered heavy seas overnight. The vessel reported that multiple containers shifted amid strong swell and rolling, leaving two rows of containers toppled midship, with several boxes crushed and hanging over the ship’s side. An unspecified number of containers were also reported lost overboard.
The ship was south of Aveiro when the incident occurred and notified authorities that cargoes including granite, cocoa, and palm oil had been affected. The vessel subsequently proceeded to Vigo to take shelter and assess the damage.
The Port Authority of Vigo coordinated the ship’s arrival late on 15 January, dispatching two tugs and a pilot to assist the vessel into port. Additional safety measures included support from a coast guard vessel, a helicopter, and the deployment of anti-pollution barriers as a precaution.
Despite the damage, the ship was berthed without incident, with no injuries reported and no pollution observed during the operation.
Work is now underway to assess the condition of the collapsed containers and plan their safe removal and repositioning. Authorities have also scheduled technical inspections of the vessel, alongside surveys by insurers.
The Maria Francisca, managed by Held Shipping of Germany, remains alongside in Vigo. Built in 2004, the Portugal-flagged vessel measures 192 metres in length and has a container capacity of 1,829 TEU.
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