The operations at the port of Gioia Tauro have returned to normal levels after the successful attempt to free MSC Elaine which blocked the entrance of the Italian gateway on 9 January.
“The port entrance is no longer obstructed by the large container ship,” confirmed the Italian Coast Guard.
Local authorities carried out rescue operations throughout the night with five tugboats trying to pull the vessel.
The Italian Coast Guard said the rescue operations “Paradoxically benefited from the bad weather conditions and the force of the wind/sea which – together with all the port tugs – provided the merchant vessel with a further push to ‘break free’ from the breakwater barrier of the port.”
