The Cargo Letter>> 66,433gt, China Shipping Uk Ltd. 280m, container M/V Xin Qing Dao, Malta (Valetta) for Felixstowe -- Storm Force 11 , 30 meter seas & 30 degree (very severe) rolling -- 31 laden 40' containers lost overboard & another 29 damaged off Brittany, night of Oct. 27, 2004. (Sun. Oct. 31 2004)
M/V Xin Qing Dao reaches Port of Felixstowe on the morning of October 30 2004 -- there has been damage resulting from a storm on the night of October 27.
M/V Xin Qing Dao had survived a rare Beaufort Scale #11 storm off Brittany -- with exceptionally high waves to 30 meters (90 feet). The sea was completely covered with long white patches of foam lying in the direction of winds to 63 knots. The unexpected can always be expected in such seas. Seamanship saved the vessel.M/V Xin Qing Dao was saved -- but 31 laden 40' containers were lost overboard & another 29 containers were severely damaged.
These 60 lost or severely damaged 40 fooot containers were laden with everything from computers to tennis shoes -- each container with a value ranging from some US$20,000 up to the US$Millions! This loss/damage to 60, 40ft containers has yet to be calculated -- but expect a BIGnumber, with each container coming fully equipped with it's own maritime lawyer -- to plead the issue of whether either "fault" or "a peril of the sea" is to blame!
It is estimated that over 10,000 ocean containers are lost each year over the side in the world ocean trades -- the result of high seas perils, improper stow, fire & even pirates.
The yearly financial loss due to ocean shipping container misfortune has not been calculated -- but the estimates are staggering -- in the US$ Billions.Here (above) the photo shows the empty cell guides from which the aft containers have been torn to the sea.
Comments
Post a Comment