Security Scare at Port of Antwerp: MSC Containership Investigated for Bomb Threat; Police Uncover Cocaine Smuggling Link.

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By Sea and Coast | 27/12/2023

An MSC containership destined for the Port of Antwerp faced an overnight offshore hold due to a bomb threat under investigation by Belgium police. The threat, mirroring a prior incident a year ago, targeted the MSC Bhavya V arriving from Hamburg, alleging an explosive in a container was timed to detonate on docking.

Prompted by the threat, authorities halted the ship offshore, diverting it from the port's approach for inspection. The vessel, registered in Liberia, anchored off the coast, carrying 5,018 TEU after voyaging from Turkey with stops in Portugal, France, and Germany earlier in December.

Belgium's National Maritime Security Authority, reviewing the situation, deemed the threat non-credible, permitting the ship's access to the port for safety reasons. By December 26, the vessel resumed its course towards Antwerp, albeit a few hours behind schedule.

Coincidentally, six individuals were discovered hiding in a container in the port's Waaslandhaven area, suspected as "extractors" for drug cartels, concealing drugs in incoming containers. A similar threat involving the MSC Lorena in 2022 led to a cocaine discovery, prompting speculation of a smuggling scheme behind the bomb scare.

While both incidents bore striking similarities, the prior episode uncovered a significant drug haul, hinting at a potential connection between threats and smuggling operations orchestrated to disrupt shipping schedules.

Sea And Coast , @seaandcoast1 , seaandcoast1 , Sea and coast , www.seaandcoast.in

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