A terminal at the Port of Charleston in South Carolina has been evacuated because of a ‘potential threat in a container ship, the US Coast Guard said in a statement.

“Authorities were made aware of a potential threat in a container aboard the vessel Maersk Memphis in the [seaport of] Port of Charleston” at 8:00pm local time on Wednesday, the US Coast Guard said.

#BreakingNews Potential threat reported in Port of Charleston. Read more at https://t.co/8m2yUPyq04

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 15, 2017

According to the statement, the Maersk Memphis is currently moored at Charleston’s Wando terminal “which has been evacuated while law enforcement units from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies investigate the threat.”

#Update A 1 NM safety zone has been established around the vessel while law enforcement authorities investigate the threat.

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 15, 2017

The authorities later established a safety zone around the vessel, the Coast Guard said.

#update #investigation into Maersk Memphis threat active and ongoing by unified command in Charleston.

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 15, 2017

The FBI has also arrived to investigate a report of a “dirty bomb” aboard a vessel, a source from the Coast Guard told local WCSC-TV.

Officers from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, as well as hazmat crews, have arrived at the scene, according to WCSC-TV.

The Maersk Memphis has been evacuated and its crew is safe and ashore, Reuters reported, citing Maersk Group.

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