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.

Image Source

Infrastructure Transport

30 May 2026

Chembur Metro to Boost East Mumbai Links

MMRDA is advancing eastern Mumbai’s urban mobility network, with the upcoming Chembur Metro Station set to emerge as a key interchange and the Mumbai Monorail preparing for relaunch.Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, conducted a site visit to Chembur Metro Station along with Kanhuraj Bagate, Managing Director, MMMOCL. He also visited the nearby VN Purav Monorail Station to review system preparedness and ease of interconnectivity.Once operational, the interchange is expected to offer commuters across the eastern suburbs quicker access, smoother transfers and seamless conne..

Herrenknecht TBMs Drive Thane–Borivali Tunnel Progress

Herrenknecht India has supplied two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required for the 11-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The project is expected to reduce travel time between Thane and Borivali from 60–90 minutes to around 15 minutes while easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The first two Single Shield TBMs, named Nayak and Arjuna, feature 13.34-m cutterhead diameters and are designed for hard-rock excavation. They will be deployed to tunnel through the challenging geological..

KBL Launches Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set

Kirloskar Brothers (KBL) has launched its Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set, an integrated fire protection solution designed to improve operational efficiency, remote monitoring and installation flexibility. The system was inaugurated by Ms Madhuritai Misal, Hon. Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra.The Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set is a factory-tested, pre-packaged solution that combines FM/UL-certified motor and engine pump sets with IoT-enabled remote monitoring. Designed to deliver a flow rate of 170 m³/hr at a head of 100 metres, the system aims to provide..