270 Containers overboard off Freisian Islands

sailorman

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The Dutch Coastguard has issued a navigational warning after an ultra-large containership lost scores of containers while underway in the North Sea.

The ship, MSC ZOE, was in German waters when it lost the containers in heavy seas between Vlieland, Netherlands and the German Bight in the southeastern North Sea on New Year’s Day.

The Coastguard initially reported about 30 containers lost. However, an update Wednesday morning said it now understands that a whopping 270 containers went overboard.

The Coastguard is warning ships in the vicinity keep an eye out for containers floating in the water.

At least 21 containers with loose goods have washed up on the Dutch islands of Vlieland, Terschelling and Ameland.

The MSC ZOE was underway from Antwerp, Belgium to Bremerhaven, Germany at the time of the incident.

https://gcaptain.com/dutch-coastguard-msc-zoe-loses-hundreds-of-containers-overboard-in-north-sea/
 
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Kukri

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What “heavy seas” were those, then?

On New Year’s Day?

Let’s have a bit more honesty - they hadn’t been re-lashed lashed between ports, cos the weather looked good, and because the ship was half out her GM was much larger than it had been when the lashing programme was last run.

Know how many containers have been lost by ships under my management in the course of the past forty odd years?

0.
 
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savageseadog

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A horde of Cornishmen are on their war to Vlieland, Terschelling and Ameland to excersise their ancient rights
 

sailorman

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What “heavy seas” were those, then?

On New Year’s Day?

Let’s have a bit more honesty - they hadn’t been re-lashed lashed between ports, cos the weather looked good, and because the shop was half out her GM was much larger than it had been when the lashing programme was last run.

Know how many containers have been lost by ships under my management in the course of the past forty odd years?

0.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-n...ing-windfall-to-dutch-islanders-idUKKCN1OW106
 

westhinder

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The AIS track has a sharp corner to port in a spot where you would not expect it. Pictures show a couple of stacks slumped to port around midships, not where you would expect the impact of waves.
It all feels strange. I think the wind was northerly so normally on the port side when heading to Bremen. Dutch Coastguard mentioned the wind was 8-9 Bft, not the kind of exceptionally violent storm that lifts boxes from such a big ship.
Anyway, the islanders are having a field day. Strandjutten is a big tradition on all the Wadden islands.
 

Champagne Murphy

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A year or two ago I recall a poster stating that containers were designed to sink but if thats the case how come they are washing up on beaches? I mean, that would seem to indicate that they have floated at least long enough to reach the beach, right?
 

AntarcticPilot

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A year or two ago I recall a poster stating that containers were designed to sink but if thats the case how come they are washing up on beaches? I mean, that would seem to indicate that they have floated at least long enough to reach the beach, right?

The containers may be designed to let water in, but if they're full of polystyrene packing material, they aren't gong to sink.
 

sailorman

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She did well to navigate as stated by the bbc , even i have grounded in there with my Co32 on a calm day

As Storm Zeetje buffeted northern Germany with gale force winds late on Tuesday night, 270 containers of Zoe's cargo fell off the ship as it made its way through the Wadden Sea from the Belgian port of Antwerp.
 

pks1702

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A year or two ago I recall a poster stating that containers were designed to sink but if thats the case how come they are washing up on beaches? I mean, that would seem to indicate that they have floated at least long enough to reach the beach, right?

Also dependes on how good the seal on the doors is, generally the older the container the worse they are unless refurbed.

Some float quite well :)
 

ancient mariner

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Re: Dutch Islands - Over 200 shipping containers currently missing from MSC Zoe..

Hard to believe..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46746312

Hard to believe that 270 containers can fall overboard off the Dutch coast..

Let's hope the search for the remaining ones continues..

The MSC Zoe which incidentally, is one of the largest and most modern of the ultra large container vessels of today, should in all respects have been fully capable of weathering such a storm, begs the question as to whether commercial pressure was put on the ship to drive on regardless in order to meet the very tight tight schedule that these ships are expected to keep, come what may..
 

Biggles Wader

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Re: Dutch Islands - Over 200 shipping containers currently missing from MSC Zoe..

Or they didnt bother to secure the ship for sea in order to save time. Looks like more than one stack on more than one hatch fell over so not a single collapsed container more of a systemic fault. Like they didnt tie them down?
 

Daydream believer

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Re: Dutch Islands - Over 200 shipping containers currently missing from MSC Zoe..

Hard to believe..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46746312

Hard to believe that 270 containers can fall overboard off the Dutch coast..

Let's hope the search for the remaining ones continues..

Don't worry they will turn up on the beach at Ramsgate with outboard motors on the back. No prizes for guessing what will be inside
 

GTom

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Re: Dutch Islands - Over 200 shipping containers currently missing from MSC Zoe..

About time to put a water-activated beacon (realistic price around 10$ each) in each and every container.
 
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