21 containers lost from MSC Zoe have washed up so far

The MSC Zoe encountered heavy weather off the Dutch coast on 2 January causing some 270 containers to fall from the vessel with debris washing up on beaches in the Netherlands and Germany.

Genava-based owner MSC contracted Ardent Global to coordinate the sea search and salvage operations for the missing containers.

“Sonar-assisted search has helped locate hundreds of objects in the water in recent days and these contacts are being evaluated by MSC’s contractors and the authorities. So far, 21 entire containers were washed up,” MSC said.

Watch - Video of damage to containers on the MSC Zoe

The company said that a total of 1,120 tonnes of debris had been collected in beach clean-up operations.

“By deploying 4x4 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,” it said.

However, storms this week are disrupting clean-up operations.

MSC has pledged to find all the containers lost overboard and pay costs.

Read more: MSC pledges to find all containers lost from MSC Zoe and cover costs