Tianjin containership tested free of cyanide

The Cornelia Maersk is the only vessel tested thus far by the Coast Guard and CBP and the agencies do not plan to test any other ships from Tianjin in the immediate future, according to a spokesperson for the USCG.    A ship that arrived in Los Angeles from Tianjin was tested and found to be free of cyanide contamination from the explosion in Chinese port last month.
   The U.S. Coast Guard and Maritime Administration have issued advisories about possible contamination to vessels, containers, and cargo to chemicals resulting from the explosion and fires in Tianjin, China on Aug. 12 and 15.
   “Vessel owners and operators should be aware of the potential for hazardous ash, debris or residues onboard impacted vessels or containers, particularly in cargo bays and interior spaces not regularly exposed to the elements,” said a Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin.
   Andrea Anderson, a spokesman from the Coast Guard office in Los Angeles, said, “A vessel named the Cornelia Maersk arrived at the Port of Los Angeles on August 29, 2015. The vessel was carrying numerous containers originating from the area of Tianjin, China. Due to the uncertainty of how the explosion may have contaminated these containers, the Coast Guard along with Customs and Border Patrol conducted a preliminary examination and testing of the containers prior to the vessels arrival and following the sampling we concluded that the containers we not contaminated and safe to handle.
   “The containers were sampled by obtaining a swipe from the top and sides of each containers. The samples were conducted by a third party contractor and sent to the laboratory for testing. 39 containers were tested for the presence of cyanide and the laboratory concluded that no traces of cyanide were detected on any of the 39 containers,” she added.
   The Cornelia Maersk is the only vessel tested thus far by the Coast Guard and CBP and the agencies do not plan to test any other ships from Tianjin in the immediate future, according to Anderson.
   According to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting, the Cornelia Maersk, an 8,650-TEU containership flagged in Denmark, serves on the 2M Alliance’s TP3/TP12 pendulum, which connects Asia and the Middle East with the U.S. East and West Coasts. The service operates with 17 vessels, nine from Maersk Line and eight from fellow 2M Alliance member Mediterranean Shipping Co., with an average capacity of 8,647 TEUs. The TP3/TP12 has a full port rotation of Shanghai, Ningbo, Kaohsiung, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Yantian, Singapore, Salalah, New York/New Jersey, Norfolk, Baltimore, Salalah, Colombo, Tanjung Pelepas, Ningbo, Qingdao, Busan, Long Beach, Vostochniy, and Shanghai.
   “All vessels must declare their desire to enter a U.S. port at least four days prior to their arrival, this advanced notice of arrival includes reporting any hazardous conditions that may exist,” said Anderson. “The advanced notice gives the Coast Guard and Port Partners time to plan and respond to any environmental or health risk that may be associated with a vessels arrival. The Coast Guard has a standard protocol in place for events such as this including the readiness of the Coast Guard’s National Strike Force, which specializes in pollution and hazardous material response operations.”