Authorities to probe cause of incident
LONG BEACH- A Unified Command has been established to respond to an incident Tuesday morning that caused an estimated 67 shipping containers to fall off the cargo ship Mississippi and into the water at Pier G within the Port of Long Beach just after 9 a.m.
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Fire Department, Long Police Department, Port of Long Beach, Army Corps of Engineers and other commercial representatives are responding to the incident.
A smaller clean air barge was connected to the Mississippi at the time of the accident and was damaged by several fallen containers.
No injuries have been reported. No other terminals or Port operations have been impacted.
Cargo operations have been temporarily suspended at Pier G, as operations continue to ensure the safety of dockworkers and other Port personnel.
Unified Command agencies have dispatched numerous vessels and aircraft to assess the situation and provide assistance.
The Coast Guard established a safety zone 500 yards around the Mississippi and is issuing marine safety broadcasts every hour to alert other vessels of the navigation and safety hazards. The Coast Guard is also leading the effort to determine the cause of the incident.
The Unified Command is asking nonresponding personnel to remain clear of the area around the containers.
The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at more than $300 billion annually and supports 2.7 million jobs across the United States, including 691,000 in Southern California. It is one of 18 commercial strategic seaports in the United States, with a duty to support force deployment during contingencies and other national defense emergencies. In 2025, the Port is celebrating “20 Years of Leading Green,” marking two decades of its landmark Green Port Policy that has dramatically reduced environmental impacts from operations. Industry leaders named Long Beach “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for a seventh consecutive year and “The Best Green Seaport” in 2025. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $3.2 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.
