Several attempts to refloat the MSC vessel MSC Silvana VIII have failed after the containership grounded in the Zhoushan area of China and continued to take on water.

The 8400- TEU vessel arrived at the Zhoushan ship repair area on 22 June after departing Gwangyang, South Korea.

The ship is reported to have encountered technical issues while leaving the repair berth. It was later grounded during harsh weather linked to Typhoon Bavi, which struck Zhejiang in the middle of last month.

Tugs initially managed to pull the vessel free, but adverse weather contributed to a second grounding at another location.

Flooding then worsened, leaving the stern, engine room and several cargo holds affected by early August.

By 6 August, a large section of the hull was submerged, while local media showed much of the vessel underwater.

Around 3,000 tonnes of fuel have been removed to support the possibility of another refloating attempt.

The recovery operation now faces further weather pressure, with Typhoon Dolphin affecting the region.