News of yet another incident involving the loss of hundreds of containers overboard from a containership will surely raise yet more questions about why this is happening at seemingly regular intervals. The probable cause of the loss of around 750 containers from Maersk Essen in the North Pacific was heavy weather.
The incident happened on January 16. The Maersk Essen case is the third such occurrence recently reported in the Pacific as well as other high profile incidents elsewhere in the past six months. According to sources at WK Webster, it seems likely that some containers will have collapsed, or have been damaged in the affected stacks, but remain on board. These containers will need to be removed or repositioned.
Arrangements are now being made to investigate the cause of the incident and to attend to any cargo surveys. Maersk issues a statement to say the matter will be investigated’promptly and thoroughly’. The crew is said to be safe and a detailed cargo assessment is ongoing.
Pressure will mount on the industry for answers following yet another high profile incident.
In November last year, ONE Apus lost about 1,800 containers overboard 1,600 nautical miles northwest of Hawaii. Also that month ONE Aquila also suffered a container loss in the North Pacific.
The Report Magazine March 2021 edition has commissioned two articles to assess the more aggressive implementation of the CTU Code as a way of mitigating against repeat incidents. Look out for notice on publication on I March.
Read another article about container loss: Dangerous Goods containers among 1,900 lost and damaged containers from ONE Apus
