MSC provided an update after the recent law enforcement drug trafficking operation on MSC Gayane in Philadelphia. Due to this operation, MSC Gayane has been under US government control since 17 June, while the authorities conduct investigations. MSC said that it is assisting and cooperating in any possible way with the authorities and it is not the target of the investigation.
Regarding the cargo of the ship, MSC said that apart from a small number of containers, which the authorities held, all other cargoes on the MSC Gayane have been transshipped to other MSC vessels and sent on to their respective destinations.
MSC regrets this delay and thanks you for your patience. Please understand however that we must follow the instructions of the authorities when such serious abuses of our services are being investigated, whether in relation to the vessel or its cargo
The company also added that its NWC-USA-SAWC service is operating normally and all other MSC services are calling at US ports as usual.
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However, MSC’s C-TPAT certification was temporarily suspended following the incident. In respect to this, the company is seeking to assure the authorities that its certification can be reinstated as soon as possible.
What is more, MSC continues to comply with all the requirements of the C-TPAT programme and security criteria for ocean carriers including the screening of customers, maintaining container and vessel security, and the vetting of employees, agents and business partners in accordance with C-TPAT requirements.
Drug trafficking is a serious issue which impacts the entire shipping and logistics sector. MSC remains grateful to the government officials in the U.S. for their proactive work and has offered its continued support, building on a longstanding track record of good cooperation with the authorities
MSC concluded.
