Nearly 70 Containers Tumble "Like Dominoes" at California’s Long Beach Port

 A dramatic accident at Long Beach Port on September 9 left 67 shipping containers plunging into the water after the cargo vessel Mississippi tilted sharply to one side.


Around 9 a.m., the Portugal-flagged vessel, arriving from China and loaded with consumer goods ranging from shoes to electronics, began leaning toward its port side. Witnesses described the scene as containers toppling “like dominoes.”

The accident damaged a barge supplying power and emission control systems, but officials confirmed there were no injuries. Authorities warned, however, that additional containers could still fall, as the ship remained unstable.

Emergency Response

A joint command center was quickly established, bringing together the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Fire and Police Departments, the Port Authority, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Multiple ships, boats, and aircraft were deployed to stabilize the vessel and prevent containers from drifting away.

The Coast Guard also created a 450-meter safety zone around the ship and issued alerts to nearby vessels.

Possible Cause

Investigators are focusing on a potential ballast tank malfunction. These tanks, filled with water, are crucial for maintaining a ship’s balance, stability, and draft. A failure in the system could have triggered the vessel’s dangerous tilt.


A Rare Incident at a Major Port

The accident shocked port workers. “One or two containers falling is an accident,” one steelworker said. “This many means something went seriously wrong.” Another veteran worker noted he hadn’t seen anything like it in his 35 years at the port.

The incident comes just days after Long Beach was named Best West Coast Seaport in North America for the seventh consecutive year by Asia Cargo News. The port handles over nine million containers annually—about a quarter of all West Coast container traffic.


source: ABC news

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