Maersk Line, the owner of Liberia-flagged Maersk Shanghai, informed that between 70 and 73 cargo containers collapsed from the ship, with some of them lost overboard due to high winds and heavy seas as the vessel battled stormy weather on March 3, about 17 miles off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.
The incident occurred as a fierce nor’easter stretching from Maine to North Carolina pummeled the East Coast over the weekend producing harsh winds and waves of up to 40 feet (12 meters).
The Coast Guard added that the containers pose navigation hazards, urging all mariners to transit this area with caution.
“The vessel is currently at anchor in Charleston with the surveyor and U.S. Coast Guard on board to assess damages to cargo and vessel. Once the survey is completed we will coordinate a plan to secure berthing and needed resources to work normal cargo ops, including damaged units. We will be in contact with all customers with direct impact to find the best solution for the handling of their cargo,” Maersk Line said in a statement to World Maritime News.
All crew members on board are safe and accounted for. No effect on the environment has been reported at this time, Maersk Line said.
The Post-Panamax boxship was underway from Norfolk to Charleston when the incident occurred, the ship’s AIS data shows. The 2016-built ship is operated by Zodiac Maritime, which charters out its ships to container shipping majors.
The ship is employed on Maersk Line’s TP11 service linking East Asia and the U.S. East Coast.