Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: Low
- Tug involvement: Yes
- Tug mechanism: Multiple tugs assisted the grounded vessel.
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | MSC Elaine |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Panama [PA] |
| IMO Number | |
| Gross Tonnage | |
| LOA (m) | 340 |
| Breadth (m) | |
| TEU | 8566 |
| Year Built | 2009 |
| Owner/Operator | Mediterranean Shipping Company |
| Crew Size |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2023-01-09 |
| Location | Port of Gioia Tauro, Italy |
| Coordinates | 38.4240, 15.8990 |
| Region | Italy |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Direct Damage | The extent of damage to the ship was unknown when the report was published. |
| Economic Damage |
Key facts
- MSC Elaine grounded on the southern breakwater at the entrance to the Port of Gioia Tauro.
- AIS data cited by the article placed the grounding shortly after 09:00 while the vessel was outbound.
- The article reported that the vessel swung wide on a turn and that multiple tugs assisted it.
- The ship was described as a 340 m, 8,566-TEU containership built in 2009 and flying the Panama flag.
- No injuries or pollution had been reported when the article was published; damage to the ship was then unknown.
Narrative
On 9 January 2023, MSC Elaine was outbound from the Port of Gioia Tauro in Italy. AIS data cited by the gCaptain article placed the vessel near the port entrance shortly after 09:00, when it apparently swung wide on a turn and grounded along the southern breakwater. Photographs and video showed the starboard bow against the breakwater.
Multiple tugs assisted the vessel. A local report embedded in the article referred to five tugboats operating at the scene. The article described MSC Elaine as a 340 m, 8,566-TEU containership built in 2009 and sailing under the Panama flag. It also stated that the reported draft was 14 m.
At the time of publication, no injuries or pollution had been reported. The article did not establish the extent of hull damage, the cause of the wide turn, the vessel’s eventual refloating, or any formal investigation findings. The incident is therefore recorded as a source-grounded report of a breakwater grounding with unresolved damage and causal details.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2023-01-09 shortly after 09:00 local | MSC Elaine apparently swung wide on an outbound turn and grounded on the southern breakwater at the Port of Gioia Tauro. |
| 2023-01-09 | Multiple tugs, including a local report of five tugboats, assisted the vessel. |
Investigation
The cited article does not report an official investigation or findings. The reason for the wide turn, the extent of damage, and the vessel’s final disposition remain unresolved.