Halfway across the North Atlantic a couple of years ago aboard the Hanse 50 Maverick, not long after dark we had a collision with an object we couldn’t see. We were 10 miles north of the major east-west shipping lanes, so our instant thought was that we might have hit a container so we started checking the hull below the water for damage, the keel bolts for leaks and the rudder post for signs of damage. Happily, the was no damage and no water was leaking into the boat. We were lucky. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports a surge in container losses at sea over the past three years. More than 3,000 were lost in 2020 and already more than 1,500 have been lost in 2021. Many of these containers do not sink and end up floating just below the surface as they lie in wait for passing craft. For large ships, containers present no threat. But to smaller craft such as yachts, fishing vessels, research vessels and the like, containers can be deadly hazards. Plus, many containers carry cargo that is toxic to the marine environment. Right now, there is only a voluntary reporting system to identify when and where containers are lost or jettisoned at sea, unless the contents is deemed environmentally dangerous. And there is no way to track them once in the water. This is wrong. Shipowners should be required by law to report lost containers immediately to the IMO, which can then post the information online for all to see. Second, all containers that are shipped across oceans should be equipped with satellite transmitters that can for years track their positions. With the privilege of freely using the world’s oceans to transport commercial goods comes the responsibility to do so safely and with proper concern for others also using those oceans and waterways. As it is, shipping and container companies are shirking that responsibility and governmental and international agencies are turning a blind eye. That is wrong and those responsible for lost containers at sea need to be held accountable.
What do you think? Send us your experiences with containers at sea and thoughts on what should be done about them to george@bwsailing.com.