Shipping containers plunge overboard at an alarming rate

07 May 2021 CW Team

Containers piled high on giant ships carrying everything from car tyres to smartphones are falling over at an alarming rate, sinking millions of dollars worth of cargo to the ocean's depths as pressure to speed deliveries raises the risk of safety mistakes.

The number of lost containers in the shipping industry is at its highest level in seven years. Last year, over 3,000 boxes were lost at sea, and more than 1,000 have been lost so far in 2021. Hundreds of US retailers and manufacturers, including Amazon and Tesla, are experiencing supply chain disruptions as a result of the accidents.

The sudden increase in accidents can be attributed to a variety of factors. Weather is becoming more unpredictable, and ships are becoming larger, allowing for higher container stacking than ever before. However, a surge in e-commerce after consumer demand exploded during the pandemic is exacerbating the situation, increasing the pressure on shipping lines to deliver products as quickly as possible.

During a voyage from Xiamen, China, to Los Angeles in January, the Maersk Essen lost about 750 boxes. A month later, when the Maersk Eindhoven lost power in rough seas, 260 containers fell off the ship.

With 226 million container boxes shipped each year, a loss of 1,000 or more may appear to be a drop in the bucket. At a conference in Singapore on April 23, Jacob Damgaard, associate director of loss prevention at Britannia P&I, said that is a very small percentage lost.

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