189 Containers Still Missing from Mumbai Ship Collision

The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) reports that at least 189 containers from the MSC Chitra are missing, eight of which contain toxic materials. Six of the remaining eight contains sodium hydroxide, one contains organic pesticides and another contains aluminum phosphate tablets.

A team of specialized divers has been brought in to search for the missing containers. It is believed that the containers have sunk to the seafloor and may be covered with sediment. Port authority in Mumbai say the containers are no longer in the shipping lanes and do not affect ships traveling into the port.

The MSC Chitra collided with the Khalijia-III on August 7, just outside the port of Mumbai. The MSC Chitra was carrying 531 containers, 31 of which were hazardous, and 3,300 tons of oil at the time of the collision. Since the accident 111 containers have been removed and 200 remain on the damaged ship. The MSC Chitra also spilled oil , covering the Mumbai coast.

MSC Chitra owners, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), have spent more than Rs 45 crore (more than $9.8 million) on clean up and recovery operations. The company was also initially blamed for the accident but a probe into the incident has revealed that Khalijia-III bared the brunt of the blame when it violated navigation rules. The two companies are awaiting the official Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) report to determine what action the owners of Khalijia-III will need to take.

Salvage crews are working to move MSC Chitra but are having to deal with toxic gases leaking from her six holds. The Hindustan Times reports that “officials with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) measured the amount of emissions on the deck of the ship and said it was highly hazardous. The holds have been emitting between 2 parts per million (ppm) to 20 ppm of phosphine gas since” the collision.

High levels of phosphine are odorless but trade phosphine gas may form explosive mixtures with air and can self ignite. The gas is heavier than air. When phosphine burns, it produces a dense white cloud of phosphorus pentoxide. The level immediately dangerous to life or health is 50ppm. The levels coming from MSC Chitra have been as high as 20ppm and are being monitored.

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the main target organ of phosphine gas is the respiratory tract. Overexposure to phosphine gas causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, chest tightness, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), muscle pain, chills, stupor or syncope.