MSC Containership Damaged, Drifts Near Gran Canaria, Emergency Rescue Launched

Over the weekend, Spanish emergency crews rescued the MSC Talia F, a Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) feeder containership that was drifting off the coast of Gran Canaria, according to the maritime rescue service Salvamento Marítimo.

On Saturday, the 1,000-TEU MSC Talia F dropped anchor approximately 8 nautical miles east of Punta Melenara, Gran Canaria. The vessel was drifting southward parallel to the coast at a speed of about 2 knots. At the time, there were strong northeast winds (25–30 knots) and rough seas. Rescue crews managed to tow the small containership and safely brought it to Las Palmas.

As of Monday, MSC Talia F has resumed commercial operations and is back underway.

Built in 2005, MSC Talia F is a 12,000 DWT feeder vessel owned by a Liberian entity and operated by MSC, the world’s largest container line. A recent inspection conducted last year noted corrosion and piping issues, but not to a level warranting detention.

This marks the second incident involving an aging MSC vessel in two months. In February, the MSC Baltic III, built in 2003, lost power during a winter storm and ran aground off the west coast of Newfoundland, forcing the crew to abandon ship. The vessel remains grounded on a rocky ledge, with small tar balls observed along the nearby shoreline.

MSC has significantly expanded its fleet post-pandemic by acquiring or retaining older vessels, avoiding scrapping, and purchasing secondhand containerships at elevated prices compared to a few years ago.