Container ships loosing cargo????

Container ships loosing cargo????

Author
Discussion

adsvx220

Original Poster:

705 posts

182 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Looking through the amazing pics of ships thread got me thinking. Does anyone here knows if container ships loose containers very often.

Some of these massive ships obviously hit some big seas during there travels around the world. And with the containers so close to the edge do they ever just fall off?


Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
I believe they're a well-known hazard to shipping, yes. Maybe there's an opening here for a salvage operation - appearing on Quest (Freeview 37) soon no doubt!

f1dget

359 posts

174 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
http://gcaptain.com/how-many-shipping-containers-l...
Hope this helps answer your question.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Back in the 80s, Beardy Branson's Trans-Atlantic record attempt was sunk (literally) when they struck what they think was a submerged container.

Marcellus

7,111 posts

218 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Yes it happens all the time, when buying it's important to specify whose insurance covers the crossing?

Edited by Marcellus on Saturday 22 November 21:17

jimmyboy85

380 posts

147 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Currently posting this whilst at work, on a container ship.

Its quite common, usually hear about a couple of incidents each year or so and the company I work for had a pretty big one either last year or the year before.

Having said that, not sure if I've been lucky but in the 13 years I've been on these boats I've never experienced it yet (touch wood).

steve j

3,223 posts

227 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
I owned a fast 17ft fishing boat which would easily travel at 30 knots. I well remember having to avoid a container floating in the Bristol Channel eek There was about 6 inches of the container showing on the surface and when you`re travelling at speed at sea, unless it`s dead calm, even a container like that is difficult to see. I did contact the coastguard, they just made a note of it as it was relatively close to shore and not a hazard to shipping, a brown trouser moment indeed hehe Seriously though, I wonder how many have been lost overboard ?

Steve_D

13,737 posts

257 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
I believe they're a well-known hazard to shipping, yes. Maybe there's an opening here for a salvage operation - appearing on Quest (Freeview 37) soon no doubt!
They've already had one show with containers. They contained wine so they retrieved a few samples and found they had all gone off. End of salvage attempt.

Steve

adsvx220

Original Poster:

705 posts

182 months

Saturday 22nd November 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies guys!! I Find it pretty amazing that these containers can just fall off and left just to float around and or inevitably sink.

You think what goodies could be lying on the sea bed. Could be some decent barn/container finds down there if not a little wet and rusty.

grumpy52

5,565 posts

165 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
A local fishing skipper found one and towed it to the local port and lifted onto the quayside , the look of disappointment when it was opened was classic .
it was full of lard !
Quite expensive to dispose of 20 tons of contanimated lard .

markmullen

15,877 posts

233 months

Monday 24th November 2014
quotequote all
grumpy52 said:
A local fishing skipper found one and towed it to the local port and lifted onto the quayside , the look of disappointment when it was opened was classic .
it was full of lard !
Quite expensive to dispose of 20 tons of contanimated lard .
It'd be a job for the receiver of wrecks to dispose of.

onyx39

11,109 posts

149 months

Tuesday 25th November 2014
quotequote all
Mid 80's I used to work for a freight forwarder.
We had a client that made full body scanners, that were shipped in from overseas.
As you can imagine, these bits of kit were huge, and were shipped on a "just in time" basis.
The item was ordered, built over a 6 month period, and placed on the ship, to arrive in the UK at the correct window, when the scanner was to be delivered to and installed into the new building, and the remainder of the hospital wing constructed around it.
Ship arrives in Bay of Biscay amid a huge storm, container goes over the side, and we have the "difficult" conversation with the client...


bracken78

983 posts

205 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
adsvx220 said:
You think what goodies could be lying on the sea bed.
Lots! (note the barge did not sink, only capsized.

http://gcaptain.com/barge-sinks-38-million-power-c...

b14

1,060 posts

187 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
I've hit one in a sailing boat before - luckily just glanced off it, no major damage. Some of the bds float just under the surface of the water.

sneijder

5,221 posts

233 months

Friday 28th November 2014
quotequote all
IIRC there are two daily on average ?

This came up when the Malaysian aircraft search was first underway in Australia, they kept finding containers .....

There's some good comes out of it :

Lego http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28367198

Rubber Ducks http://www.rubaduck.com/news/rubber-ducks-circumna...

timbo999

1,287 posts

254 months

Friday 28th November 2014
quotequote all
Watch 'All is Lost' with Robert Redford to see what damage they can do to a yacht and the consequences of it...

burwoodman

18,709 posts

245 months

Friday 28th November 2014
quotequote all
timbo999 said:
Watch 'All is Lost' with Robert Redford to see what damage they can do to a yacht and the consequences of it...
Don't, it's a dreadful film.