Watch: Cargo Vessel Allides With Jetty After Mooring Lines Snap At India’s Largest Port

A large container ship, MSC Alexandra, broke free from its moorings and hit a jetty under construction at Mundra Port in Gujarat on 19 March after strong winds swept through the area.

The vessel drifted out of control when its mooring lines snapped under pressure.

The incident disrupted port activity and raised concerns over safety during extreme weather at one of India’s busiest ports.

The ship was berthed at the CT-3 terminal when a sudden thunderstorm and strong gusts began hitting the port from early morning.

MSC Alexandra was secured with high-strength mooring ropes at five points, but the wind speed and pressure became too much for the lines to handle. One of the main ropes failed, and the others could not hold the vessel in place.

As the lines snapped, the 365.8-meter-long container ship started drifting across the harbour without control. It moved toward a jetty that was still being built and struck it bow-first.

Video clips of the incident later circulated on social media, showing how close the vessel came to workers on site. People near the waterfront were seen running to safety, while the ship sounded its horn as a warning.

The vessel MSC Alexandra broke free from her mooring lines at the Port of Mundra and went on to collide with a jetty under construction. pic.twitter.com/2r6u3BhC0k

— PortHarcourt Sailor (@GodsgreatG) March 23, 2026

The same weather also caused problems across the port. Strong gusts knocked over containers stacked in the yard. Due to safety risks, port authorities restricted the movement of vehicles and workers in several areas of the facility.

MSC Alexandra is a Panamanian-flagged ultra-large container vessel built in 2010. It has a beam of 51.3 meters and a gross tonnage of 153,115.

In 2016, it was hit by the Iranian VLCC Dream II in the Singapore Strait. The impact damaged the vessel’s port quarter and caused about ten containers to fall into the sea.

In May 2024, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed they had targeted the same vessel, but there was no confirmed evidence of any damage.

The ship usually sails through the Strait of Hormuz toward Jebel Ali, but that route is currently being avoided due to ongoing tensions in the region.

Recent weather in the Kutch region and across Gujarat has brought strong winds and rough sea conditions for several days.

As of Monday, MSC Alexandra was still at anchor outside Mundra Port. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the incident affected port operations.

References: India Today