Discover the Cma-Cgm-Bianca: Ratings & Maritime News

A recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board’s Marine Accident Brief 21/18 reveals that severe, unanticipated winds were responsible for the CMA CGM Bianca breaking free from the pier at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal in New Orleans on August 2, 2020. During routine cargo operations, a sudden thunderstorm swept through the area, bringing with it winds strong enough to sever ten out of the vessel's sixteen mooring lines. As a result, the CMA CGM Bianca drifted away from the terminal, causing significant damage as containers lifted by shoreside gantry cranes struck the ship. One of the impacted containers fell into the water, resulting in a spill of plastic pellets, commonly referred to as nurdles. Fortunately, only one crane operator sustained a minor injury during the incident. The damage from the events is estimated at approximately $15.1 million. Notably, the ship was outfitted with self-tensioning mooring winches; however, these devices were not activated. The master of the vessel explained that concerns regarding the river current of the Mississippi River and the wash from passing vessels could lead to unintended payout of the mooring lines, which led the crew to rely on manual braking. Instead, the crew conducted inspections during their regular rounds to ensure the lines maintained proper tension. At 1:50 PM, surveillance footage indicated the onset of rain, followed by gale-force winds and heavy rainfall just ten minutes later. The master described the wind conditions akin to a tornado, a sentiment echoed by both crane operators who reported that the winds intensified in mere seconds. By 2:02 PM, both forward and aft mooring lines had parted, causing the ship to drift. Concurrently, Cranes 5 and 6, with containers suspended, were seen moving off-course due to the overpowering gusts. One container from Crane 5 collided with other containers stowed on the ship before falling, first hitting the pier and subsequently breaking open as it plunged into the river. This incident led to millions of nurdles flowing downstream, with many washing up along the banks or entering the Gulf of Mexico. Investigators attributed the occurrence to the abrupt arrival of unpredicted severe winds, which were likely triggered by a downburst associated with the thunderstorm. For further details, Marine Accident Brief 21/18 is accessible online at https://go.usa.gov/xMBKr.

A recent report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), dated September 16, 2021, revealed that unforeseen winds were responsible for the container ship 'CMA CGM Bianca' breaking free from its moorings at the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal in New Orleans on August 2, 2020. As longshoremen were engaged in loading and unloading operations, an unexpected localized thunderstorm swept through the area. This meteorological event resulted in the failure of ten out of the vessel's sixteen mooring lines due to high winds, leading to the ship drifting away from the dock. In the course of the incident, containers that were being handled by shoreside gantry cranes collided with the vessel, causing one container to fall into the water and release a shipment of plastic pellets. Reports indicate that a crane operator sustained minor injuries amid the chaos. Total damages from this incident have been estimated at around $15.1 million. The NTSB's findings indicated that both crane operators and the ship's crew experienced extreme gusts of wind, which emerged suddenly in tandem with heavy rainfall that rendered the terminal's security camera visibility almost non-existent. While the nearest weather station documented wind speeds peaking at 31 mph, a nearby vessel reported a staggering gust of 73 mph. The ship's captain described the storm as resembling a tornadic activity. Investigators concluded that the CMA CGM Bianca was impacted by outflow winds resulting from a downburst, ultimately identifying the unforeseen severe winds as the primary cause of the incident.

On October 3, 2015, a critical medical emergency unfolded aboard the "CMA CGM Bianca" when the ship's captain suffered a severe illness. The CROSS Réunion responded promptly after receiving an urgent call from the vessel. Following discussions with a SMUR doctor, the decision was made to conduct a helicopter medevac. Due to the emergency, CROSS Réunion requested support from FAZSOI, which dispatched a Panther 36F Nivôse helicopter at 8 PM to the container ship, located approximately 10 nautical miles off the La Réunion coastline. A rescue swimmer and medical personnel were swiftly airlifted to the "CMA CGM Bianca." After the successful hoisting process, the captain was flown to the hospital in Saint-Denis. The helicopter completed the flight and landed at Bellepierre University Hospital after about an hour, ensuring the captain received the urgent medical attention he needed.