MFC Container Solutions

The World Shipping Council’s (WSC) annual Containers Lost at Sea report showed that 576 containers were lost overboard from vessels in 2024, up sharply from a record low of 221 containers lost in 2023.

A major driver for the increase in containers lost at sea last year were diversions via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the security threat of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Transits by container ships of the region were up 191% the WSC said, and according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority around 200 containers were lost overboard in the region, more than a third of the total worldwide.

The change in routing via the Cape of Good Hope exposed vessels that would not normally transit the African cape to severe winter storms in the region between June and August.

Among the major losses during the winter last year were the CMA CGM Belem which lost around 99 containers overboard, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin with 44 boxes lost, and the MSC Antonia which lost 46 containers.

“Despite continued loss-prevention efforts by the industry, the re-routing of transits away from the Red Sea and around the Cape of Good Hope to keep global commerce moving has ocean carriers navigating one of the world’s most challenging routes, as highlighted in this report,” commented Joe Kramek, President & CEO of the WSC.

So far as this year as we move into the winter months in the southern hemisphere a repeat has not been seen of last year’s losses off the Cape of Good Hope.

Overall container losses stand at 0.0002% of the approximately 250 million containers moved globally last years.

“This year’s report confirms that the vast majority of containers are transported safely across the oceans. Still, even one container lost is one too many,” commented Kramek.

Mandatory reporting of container losses to the IMO will begin in 2026 following the adoption of amendments to SOLAS, something the WSC said it had both long advocated and welcomed.

To read it in seatrade-maritime.com : click here