A CMA CGM-operated mega containership apparently lost an undisclosed number of containers overboard while underway in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Djibouti earlier this month.
The revelation puts to rest several questions concerning APL Venda’s status after it unexpectedly arrived at a Djibouti anchorage on July 6. An update from CMA CGM on July 7 said the vessel suffered an “unexpected incident” during a westbound voyage on July 3, delaying its arrival in North Europe by two weeks.
The ship capacity is about 17,292 TEU capacity ship lost an unknown number of containers overboard on or about July 3 and it was working verify the severity of the incident.
APL Vanda is operated on CMA CGM’s FAL3 service connection Asia with North Europe. The ship was built in 2013 and is registered in Singapore. In 2016, APL Vanda made headlines after it intentionally grounded in the Solent outside the Port of Southampton after experiencing a loss of power.
This incident comes just weeks after the World Shipping Council announced a new program to enhance container safety and reverse the trend of the past few years which has seen a dramatic increase in the number of boxes lost overboard. The WSC highlighted weather and rough seas as one of the leading causes of the incidents but also called for more cooperation across the industry to address factors that could be contributing to the losses. The program has already prepared a notice to mariners describing how a container vessel crew and operational staff can plan, recognize and act to prevent parametric rolling in following seas, which they have determined to be one of the most dangerous situations for modern containerships.
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