Maersk Tasked with Finding Hundreds of Missing Containers in Bay of Biscay

[sailorman]

Following the loss of over 500 containers this February from the containership Svendborg Maersk during a storm in the Bay of Biscay, French maritime authorities have tasked Maersk Line with locating the missing containers on the seabed as they could present a hazard to local fishermen.
Michael Storgaard, Senior Press Officer from Maersk provided the following statement on the matter:

In February this year, Svendborg Maersk lost more than 500 containers (85% were empty and no containers with dangerous goods)overboard during a severe storm with Hurricane force winds in the Bay of Biscay (Golfe de Gascoigne).
Therefore, Maersk Line has – in close cooperation with the local maritime authority (Maritime Prefect for the Atlantic) – undertaken to scan the seabed around the two positions in the Bay of Biscay (Golfe de Gascoigne), where the containers were lost.
The scan will assess possible anomalies in sea depth in order to pinpoint in the sea charts of the area any potential hazards to the fishermen’s community.
The scanning will be commenced once the survey vessel is available which is expected this summer.
We have had a constructive dialogue and understanding with local authorities in both France and UK, and we remain committed doing our part to best mitigate the consequences of the Svendborg Maersk incident.
​

http://gcaptain.com/maersk-tasked-finding-hundreds-missing-containers-bay-biscay/

 

[haydude]

For as long as the containers lie on the seabed, that is really good news for fish and marine life. In general these objects do:
1) encourage the establishment of marine life and fish shoals
2) obstruct the practice of trawling fishing nets that destroys the seabed

However did all 500 containers sink or is there a portion still floating?
And where are they?
And what are Maersk doing about them?

 

[sailorman]

Do trawlers fish at 4k mts

 

[Border Terrier]

Semi submerged containers are lurking in a sea lane near you.

At the right boat speed, a container would rip off your keel like
a box cutter through cardboard. The equivalent of the marine life poly bag.

Should I take to the ocean again, this would be one of my major
concerns.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Semi submerged containers are lurking in a sea lane near you.

Could we have some evidence for that, please? You'll notice that 85% of the containers for which Maersk are looking on the seabed were empty.

 

[sailorman]

Could we have some evidence for that, please? You'll notice that 85% of the containers for which Maersk are looking on the seabed were empty.

Thats why they are building larger & larger ships, its cheaper to carry those MT box`s than pay for a box park rent

 

[ganter]

Semi submerged containers are lurking in a sea lane near you.

At the right boat speed, a container would rip off your keel like
a box cutter through cardboard. The equivalent of the marine life poly bag.

Should I take to the ocean again, this would be one of my major
concerns.

Surely, if they're empty they'll just rust the doors, open, and sink. Not a problem. It's the floaters that are the problem as you say - with cargo that has positive buoyancy.
What happened to the hydro-static charges that used to blow the doors open that they tried in the seventies. That's what I would like to know.

Metal icebergs in our midst - Whew! Shiver down spine on a night watch offshore.

 

[Border Terrier]

Could we have some evidence for that, please? You'll notice that 85% of the containers for which Maersk are looking on the seabed were empty.

If containers moved directly to the seabed,no problem. Refrigerated containers and other sealed containers take some time to take on sufficient ballast.

Historical evidence? Off the east coast of the USA in the late '70's. Yes that long ago!

 

[Scillypete]

For as long as the containers lie on the seabed, that is really good news for fish and marine life. In general these objects do:
1) encourage the establishment of marine life and fish shoals
2) obstruct the practice of trawling fishing nets that destroys the seabed

However did all 500 containers sink or is there a portion still floating?
And where are they?
And what are Maersk doing about them?

Yes as objects on the seabed they will eventually encourage growth, but its what they contain that will be of no good whatsoever to the underwater environment. If just one of those containers had reels of plastic film in it then when the doors burst open, and they will or probably already have, the reels will roll around on the seabed with the film slowly unwinding. There will be mile after mile of it and the motion of the ocean will make it break up into small pieces which can be devastating. That is just one possible example but there are many others this could be more of the reason the French are insisting on the containers being located and recovered.

Until you've seen the effects of containers breaking open and depositing their contents everywhere it is hard to envisage, its amazing how much they pack into each one.

 

[Seajet]

the French are insisting on the containers being located and recovered.

I don't see any mention of recovering the things, just locating them.

It is common sense that some must have floated, and could well still be.

 

[Scillypete]

I don't see any mention of recovering the things, just locating them.

It is common sense that some must have floated, and could well still be.

quite so, but the likelihood of any floaters still out there is nil

 

[Sailfree]

Do they still use rolls of film and is it transported in containers

 

[Greenheart]

It can't be in a carrier's interests to lose cargo...isn't it time the securing system for containers was upgraded to preclude losses? We seem to hear of several incidents per year.

 

[Sailfree]

I don't see any mention of recovering the things, just locating them.

I assume if empty they could be easily lifted with a crane magnet (as per scrap yards) ?

 

[chanelyacht]

Do they still use rolls of film and is it transported in containers

Very much so - packaging film, pallet wrap, adhesive carrier, processed polyurethane, you name it.

An average roll of 2m wide heat seal film (the sort supermarket food is bought in, like salad bags) is 5km long.

 

[Tomahawk]

We were discussing this issue over dinner tonight.
Indeed it is our greatest worry about sailing at night.. hitting a sea-container .. Yes the ocean is huge and containers are small by comparison.. but I am mindefull of Cheeki Rafiki.

We know she lost her keel. ...did she hit a container? We will never know as no one has recivered the wreck to carry put any forensic analysis.

 

[Greenheart]

We know she lost her keel. ...did she hit a container? We will never know as no one has received the wreck to carry put any forensic analysis.

I wonder why that is? Couldn't be beyond the ability of salvage crews. I'd have thought Beneteau would fund the salvage just to clear the First 40.7 of doubtful keel attachment...

...as well as highlighting the unacceptability of thousands of containers going overboard every year.

 

[Pye_End]

Will we ever see a more reliable way of transporting goods - whether it be more secure way of locking containers on deck, or any other alternative methods?

 

[billskip]

What happened to the hydro-static charges that used to blow the doors open that they tried in the seventies. That's what I would like to know.

Ask Mr Cain

 

[pvb]

.. but I am mindefull of Cheeki Rafiki.

We know she lost her keel. ...did she hit a container? We will never know as no one has recivered the wreck to carry put any forensic analysis.

Wasn't Cheeki Rafiki already taking on water some time before the final tragic episode? Might that point to a keel attachment problem, maybe dating back to a previous grounding or poorly-completed repair? After all, wasn't it a fairly old boat?