Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Contractor to try to recover overboard containers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Oct, 2021 09:31 AM
  • Contractor to try to recover overboard containers

VANCOUVER - The Canadian Coast Guard says the owner of a ship that lost 109 containers overboard in stormy weather last week has hired a contractor to try to recover the bins loaded with cargo.

It says in a statement that a salvage team was using thermal cameras to find remaining hot spots on the MV Zim Kingston after some of the containers caught fire last weekend. Active firefighting operations continued Thursday in containers that hold tires, it said.

Five containers have been spotted at the very northern tip of Vancouver Island, more than 400 kilometres away, but two containers carrying hazardous materials were not among them. The coast guard says trajectory modelling shows the containers that were still floating will continue to drift north.

Cargo in the containers include industrial and car parts, Christmas decorations, sofas, poker tables, clothing, toys, yoga mats, stand-up paddle boards and other everyday items.

The coast guard said air samples taken along the Greater Victoria waterfront show no negative effects from the ship.

"Once the initial response to the MV Zim Kingston is complete, the Transportation Safety Board may conduct an investigation into the incident, including why the ship lost containers during the storm and why some of the remaining containers caught on fire. Right now the highest priority continues to be putting the fires out and ensuring the remaining containers are secure before the ship is moved to port for unloading."

The Transportation Safety Board says it is gathering information on the incident and assessing the scope of the investigation it may conduct.

Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for Danaos, which manages the ship, said the master of the vessel ordered the evacuation of 16 members while he and other key personnel remained on board to try and put out a fire among some of the containers. Danaos commissioned a team of marine firefighters to ensure conditions were appropriate for the safe return of the vessel’s crew, he said.

Transport Canada said in a written statement that after the ship reported losing some containers in heavy seas on Friday, the master requested an anchorage from the Pacific Pilotage Authority and was allocated one at Constance Bank, about 7.5 kilometres (four nautical miles) south of Victoria.

The agency said that anchoring is a common right in Canada and that a ship is generally free to anchor temporarily and for a reasonable time in any location deemed appropriate.

Peter Lahay, national spokesman for the International Transport Workers Federation, said about five crew members stayed on board the ship to hose down the containers while the rest of the crew were taken to a hotel in Victoria before returning on Tuesday.

MORE National ARTICLES

1,618 COVID19 cases over 3 days

1,618 COVID19 cases over 3 days
There are 4,966 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 195,055 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 366 individuals are in hospital and 149 are in intensive care. 

1,618 COVID19 cases over 3 days

VPD releases video of west-side kidnapping victim

VPD releases video of west-side kidnapping victim
Surveillance video seized by police captures Lee entering the Oakridge highrise around 10:15 p.m. on September 23, then leaving the next day shortly before 4 a.m. Investigators believe he was kidnapped while walking back to his parked car.

VPD releases video of west-side kidnapping victim

Drug-Impaired Driver Arrested After Driving Into Local Business

Drug-Impaired Driver Arrested After Driving Into Local Business
The driver of the vehicle ignored police direction and attempted to flee the scene. Officers deployed a Conducive Energy Weapon (CEW) and withdrew the man from the vehicle, where he continued to resist arrest and was taken to the ground. Officers arrested the man without further incident.

Drug-Impaired Driver Arrested After Driving Into Local Business

Task of crafting new cabinet hits final stretch

Task of crafting new cabinet hits final stretch
Conservatives are urging him to dump Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan from cabinet over what they describe as his mishandling of sexual misconduct allegations among the military's senior ranks.

Task of crafting new cabinet hits final stretch

New cabinet should focus on reconciliation: NDP

New cabinet should focus on reconciliation: NDP
At a news conference Monday, Charlie Angus was joined by a St. Anne's residential school survivor and two deputy grand chiefs the day before Trudeau is set to reveal his new cabinet picks.

New cabinet should focus on reconciliation: NDP

GG, Legion mark 100th anniversary of poppy symbol

GG, Legion mark 100th anniversary of poppy symbol
Donations collected during the fundraising campaign are used to support various Legion programs for veterans, including emergency food and shelter as well as bursaries, disaster relief and remembrance activities.

GG, Legion mark 100th anniversary of poppy symbol