The 13,100 teu Maersk Eindhoven became the latest cargo ship casualty in the Pacific yesterday, suffering a power outage while en route to California and the resulting loss of hundreds of containers overboard.
The accident occurred near Japan as the 11-year-old vessel was en route from Xiamen, China, to Los Angeles. The crew is safe, propulsion has been restored and vessel tracking suggests it has turned around and is headed for an Asian port.
Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), which is a partner of Maersk, said on its website that, due to the engine shutdown amid a heavy gale, the Maersk Eindhoven had lost “several hundred” containers overboard, the sixth incident of boxes lost at sea since Nov. 30.
Last month, about 750 boxes fell off the Maersk Essen, a sister ship to the Maersk Eindhoven, both built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, also while sailing from Xiamen to Los Angeles.
The vessel diverted to Mexico and the port of Lazaro Cardenas and is now scheduled to weigh anchor in two days and head for Los Angeles.
Below is a video of the Maersk Essen arriving at the Mexico dock last month.
According to MarineTraffic the Maersk Eindhoven encountered a severe storm on Wednesday that caused the containers to fall overboard into the ocean.
