Coast Guard investigates boxship for involvement in California oil spill

Msc Danit 9404649 3070777 Medium

(LONG BEACH, Calif.) — U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) marine casualty investigators boarded the containership MSC Danit on Saturday in the Port of Long Beach.

Prior to the visit, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Braden Rostad, chief of investigations, Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, determined that the Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) vessel was involved in a Jan. 25 anchor-dragging incident during a heavy weather event that impacted the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The incident occurred in close proximity to a subsea pipeline, which was subsequently discovered to be the source of the Orange County oil spill on Oct. 2.

Msc Danit 9404649 3070777 Medium
FleetMon.com photo

As a result, the Coast Guard designated MSC, the operator of the vessel, and Dordellas Finance Corp., the owner of the vessel, as parties in interest to the marine casualty investigation as defined by 46 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 6303 and 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 4.03-10.

The designations provide the owner and operator of MSC Danit the opportunity to be represented by counsel, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and to call witnesses who are relevant to the investigation.

The Coast Guard investigation into the Orange County oil pipeline major marine casualty remains ongoing. Multiple pipeline scenarios and additional vessels of interest continue to be investigated.

Members of the public who would like to share information deemed relevant to the investigation are encouraged to contact the Coast Guard at OCOILSPILLINV@gmail.com.

– U.S. Coast Guard

By Professional Mariner Staff