A significant incident at a key U.S. West Coast maritime gateway disrupted cargo operations when dozens of shipping containers toppled from a cargo vessel into the water, prompting a temporary shutdown of operations at one of the port’s busiest terminals.
The mishap occurred on the morning of September 9, 2025, at the Pier G container terminal in California’s Port of Long Beach, when a large container vessel — arriving from Asia — experienced a stack collapse during unloading. An estimated 67 to 75 containers fell overboard into San Pedro Bay, some striking a nearby clean‑air barge connected to the ship, while others plunged into the water.
Cargo handling activities at the affected terminal were paused immediately as emergency crews, including U.S. Coast Guard units, salvors and port personnel, worked to secure the scene and recover the fallen boxes. A 500‑yard safety zone was established around the incident site to protect navigation and response operations.
Officials reported no serious injuries from the accident and said that operations at other areas of the port continued without interruption. Efforts to recover containers involved sonar surveys, remotely operated vehicles and dive teams to locate submerged units, followed by salvage lifts and clearance of the harbor.
The incident sparked an investigation led by federal and maritime authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board, to determine the cause of the stack collapse — whether linked to vessel listing, lashing procedures or other operational factors.
Recovery work concluded later in September, with officials confirming all lost containers had been retrieved and the safety zone lifted, allowing full terminal operations to resume.
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