CAPT LATHAM

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Coastguard urged beach goers to keep lookout for lost containers

The Coast Guard continued to respond to the loss of containers from the barge "Columbia Elizabeth" between Cape Canaveral and Palm Beach. Marine prevention teams from Coast Guard Sector Miami and Marine Safety Detachment Lake Worth have been dispatched to the Port of Palm beach where the barge was being unloaded. In the afternoon of Dec 8, on the whole 243 containers were removed from the barge at the Port of Palm Beach. Crews continued to remove containers surrounding the affected cargo bay to better access and assess how many containers were lost. The Coast Guard estimated that as many as 25 containers may have fallen overboard at sea. Nine containers have been confirmed to have fallen overboard so far. The Coast Guard continued to issue hourly safety marine information broadcasts along the Florida Atlantic coastline, advising boaters to maintain a lookout for containers that may be adrift at sea. One missing container was known to contain wet cell batteries. While the batteries were not believed to pose a serious environmental risk, the batteries contained corrosive material which may result in chemical burns to the skin. Mariners and beachgoers were urged to not approach or open any containers in the water on shore. Anyone finding containers or batteries should contact the U.S. Coast Guard via VHF marine radio channel 16, the Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802, or their local fire or police departments. Coast Guard air assets continued to search the Florida Atlantic Coast between Palm Beach and Cape Canaveral for containers in the water or along the shoreline. Reports with photos and video: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-cargo-containers-batteries-warning-20151208-story.html http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/unplanned-unexplained-coffee-giveaway-melbourne-be/npfLt/

Search continued for missing containers

Airplanes and a helicopter searched Florida's east coast on Dec 7 for dozens of missing cargo containers, while crews at the Port of Palm Beach sorted through hundreds left on the "Columbia Elizabeth". The effort was all to find out just what ended up in the water and whether it poses a threat, how many batteries ended up in the water, what kind of batteries they are and where they ended up in order to determine whether they could be an environmental risk. Remaining containers on the barge remained tilted while it was docked at the Port of Palm Beach. The barge was unloaded in order to reach the part of the deck where the containers slid into over board- Investigators were trying to find out why the cargo gave way and take inventory of what was lost. Some boxes got crushed and some went over the side. TOTE Maritime, of Jacksonville, had chartered the barge. A container that washed ashore near Port Canaveral on Dec 6 was not from the barge. Reports with photos: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-cargo-falls-off-barge-folo-20151207-story.html http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-12-08/story/overboard-containers-stall-jacksonville-puerto-rico-barge-handled-el

Barge lost containers off Florida coast

Several containers were lost from the 100-meter barge "Columbia Elizabeth" on Dec 6, 2015, off the coast between Port Canaveral nd West Palm Beach. The barge was being towed by the "Capt. Latham" to Puerto Rico, when the crew noticed several cargo containers hanging over the port side of the barge and believed more had fallen into the water while in transit. The "Capt. Latham" terminated their course toward Puerto Rico and diverted to the Port of Palm Beach for further investigation. A Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter crew from Air Station Miami and a crew from the Coast Guard Cutter "Margaret Norvell" responded to the report to assess the barge. At approximately 3:00 p.m., the vessel moored safely in the Port of Palm Beach. It was then determined that up to 25 containers were unaccounted for, with an undetermined amount falling overboard. Several of the containers were confirmed to be carrying batteries. One of the containers washed ashore in Port Canaveral. The Coast Guard was investigating the incident and plans to launch an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to begin searching at sunrise. Report with photo: http://www.wpbf.com/news/coast-guard-responds-to-container-barge-accident/36830982