Shipping company and vessel owner added as parties of interest in Orange County oil spill
U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board marine casualty investigators boarded the container ship MSC DANIT, Saturday in the Port of Long Beach.
Prior to the visit, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Braden Rostad, chief of investigations in L.A. and Long Beach determined that the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) DANIT was involved in an anchor-dragging incident on Jan. 25, 2021, during a weather event that impacted the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The anchor-dragging incident occurred in close proximity to a sub-sea pipeline, which was subsequently discovered to be the source of the Orange County oil spill on Oct. 2, 2021.
As a result of the investigation, the Coast Guard designated the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, S.A.—the operator of the vessel—and Dordellas Finance Corporation—the owner of the vessel—as parties in interest in the marine casualty event.
The “party in interest” designation provides the owner and operator of the MSC DANIT the opportunity to be represented by counsel, to examine and cross-examine witnesses and to call relevant witnesses.
The Coast Guard marine casualty investigation into the Orange County oil pipeline major marine casualty remains ongoing. Multiple pipeline scenarios and additional vessels of interest continue to be investigated.
