Some 40 containers of the estimated 1,900 boxes damaged or lost from ONE Apus containership earlier this week are believed to contain dangerous cargo, Ocean Network Express said in the latest update.
The vessel was en route from Yantian, China to Long Beach, USA approximately 1,600 nautical miles North West of Hawaii on November 30, when it encountered a violent storm cell producing gale-force winds and large swells which caused the ONE Apus to roll heavily resulting in the dislodging of the lost containers.
Based on an early investigation onboard the ONE Apus, the impacted container bays remain unsafe for close-quarter inspections. Meanwhile from visual inspection, it is expected that the containers in the cargo hold are intact.
The 14,052 TEU containership, was built in 2019, by Japan Marine United, with a market value of $122.6 million.
The master diverted the vessel to ensure the ongoing safety of the crew and ship until conditions eased.
As informed, the Japanese-flagged boxship is now proceeding in a westerly direction towards Japan with plans to seek a suitable port to right unstable containers, assess any damages and determine the exact numbers of containers lost.
“Our focus remains on getting the ship to a safe port to ensure the ongoing safety of the crew, the vessel and the cargo on board,” Chidori Ship Holding LLC as owners and NYK Shipmanagement Pte Ltd as managers of the container vessel said.
A full investigation is set to be conducted into this incident in conjunction with the Flag State and the relevant maritime authorities.