This is the dramatic moment giant shipping containers slip off the deck of a huge 2,500-tonne Mongolian ship that capsized in a Vietnamese port.

The container ship named ‘Alica’, which sails under a Mongolian flag, capsized and lost 18 of its 54 containers in the Hiep Phuoc Port located on the Soai Rap River in Vietnam’s biggest city Ho Chi Minh at 9.00 am this Monday (26th April).

Local news outlet VNexplorer reports that the 2,500-tonne, 72 metres (236 feet) long ship lost 18 of the 54 shipping containers that it was set to deliver to Indonesia.

In the footage, ‘Alica’ can be seen leaning heavily to one side with only the berthing ropes stopping it from fully toppling into the river.

As the huge ship becomes increasingly angled the containers onboard start to break free from their strap, they then tumble overboard and crash into the water.

The sudden shift in weight violently rocks the ship, whilst the loose containers begin to slowly drift away with the river’s current.

The Maritime Administration of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC Maritime Administration) has been trying to recover the containers and said that some were found washed up on a nearby riverbank whilst the ones that did not sink were pulled out of the river.

It is not clear how many containers are still missing but the HCMC Maritime Administration has had to re-route entering ships due to fears of them crashing into submerged containers.

An investigation into the incident has been opened.