24 Lost Shipping Containers; offshore of Monterey, CA

Offshore of Monterey, CA | 2024-Feb-07

Initial Notification: On February 7, 2024, USCG Sector San Francisco contacted their NOAA SSC to report the loss of 24 shipping containers from the M/V PRESIDENT EISENHOWER the night before, approximately 64 NM southwest of Monterey, CA. No hazardous materials were in any of the lost containers and it was not clear at the time of the report whether any containers were insulated/refrigerated. USCG ran their SAROPS (Search And Rescue Optimal Planning) model to provide an initial drift estimate, indicating downcoast movement. On the morning of 09-FEB-2024, USCG C-130 aircraft observed a shipping container to the southeast of the reported drop location, near the southern reaches of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). MBNMS staff contacted the SSC to request further trajectory information on the floating container to inform further Sanctuary decisions.