OOCL Giant Loses Boxes Overboard in Northern Pacific
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) reports that one of its ultra-large container vessels has suffered a significant container incident in the Northern Pacific as it was traveling toward the United States. The OOCL Sunflower, which has a capacity of 16,828 TEU, lost 57 containers overboard with additional damage on the vessel, but the full extent of the incident will not be known until a survey can be completed once the vessel reaches port.
One of the company’s newest containerships, the 165,321 dwt vessel, was the third in the company’s new series of ULCVs delivered at Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co. (DACKS) in January 2025. The ship is 367 meters (1,204 feet) in length. It had departed Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in late February after beginning its voyage in China.
The U.S. Coast Guard notified the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on March 9, saying the incident happened on March 3 near the southwestern tip of the Aleutian Islands.
The initial assessment is that 57 containers went overboard in heavy seas. Reports indicate that additional containers shifted or were damaged but remained on deck.
“The crew is unable to make a final assessment of the damages due to safety concerns, and intends to perform a full evaluation in port upon arrival to the Port of Long Beach on March 12,” according to the report filed with NOAA.
Starting in January 2026, the International Maritime Organization’s new regulations for mandatory reporting of lost containers entered into force. Ships are required to report the incident to the nearest coastal state as well as their flag state, in this case Hong Kong, and to provide an assessment of damage. They also must alert other nearby ships to the danger.
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The OOCL Sunflower is currently nearing California, where the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach will begin the survey to assess the dangers and damage to the ship or its cargo.
The losses of containers at sea have generally been declining in recent years, according to data from the World Shipping Council. Its report for 2025 said 576 containers were lost in 2024, compared to a running 10-year average of 1,274 containers per year. Ships in 2024 were challenged by heavy weather as they were diverting around Africa. It has been several years since the major incidents in the Northern Pacific, including the ONE Apus in 2020 and several Maersk ships that experienced losses. The industry has been working to improve the prediction of vessel motion and the management of dangerous roll situations.