A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)
A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)

A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard) A tug boat cools the hull of the MV Zim Kingston Oct. 24 as crews work to control the ship’s fire. (Courtesy Canadian Coast Guard)

Ship that lost 109 containers near Victoria is now stable: operator

Remaining containers safe and will be unloaded once a port of call has been identified

The ship that lost 109 containers overboard near Victoria is now stable and the company that manages the vessel says an initial transit plan is being reviewed by authorities.

Danaos Shipping says the remaining containers on the MV Zim Kingston are safe and will be unloaded once a port of call has been identified for the ship, which has been anchored for repairs.

It says in a written statement that the company has hired marine contractors to remove containers and debris from shores as helicopter crews airlift larger pieces.

The Canadian Coast Guard has said 71 fridges, 81 bags of Styrofoam and 19 bags of garbage were among the items that have been flown off Cape Palmerston beach on the northwest side of Vancouver Island.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada noted on Wednesday (Nov. 3) that it is deploying a team of investigators to Victoria to gather information and assess the occurrence.

The containers fell off the ship on Oct. 22 during stormy weather around the same time a fire started among other bins, which took about a week to put out.

The coast guard has said an environmental unit is working with First Nations to identify resources at risk along the coast.

—The Canadian Press

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Environment