(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) Every container lost at sea is one too many. In addition to possible harm to crew, polluting sea and shores, they can pose an accident risk.
In 2024, an estimated 576 containers were lost at sea out of approximately 250 million transported. While this represents an increase from 221 containers lost at sea in 2023, it remains well below the 10-year average of 1,274. Container losses in 2024 were influenced by shifting global trade patterns, particularly in response to attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
These disruptions led to a significant rerouting of vessels, with a 191 percent increase in transits around the Cape of Good Hope compared to the previous year. This area is known for hazardous maritime conditions, which contributed to some 200 containers lost in this region in 2024. The overall trend remains encouraging.
Despite occasional spikes, the long-term data continues to show a clear reduction in container losses compared to earlier years. World Shipping Council remains committed to industry-wide transparency, collaborative safety initiatives, and support for meaningful and cost-effective new international regulations.
These efforts, including advocating for mandatory industry-wide container loss reporting, scientific research into loss prevention, and enhanced cargo safety screening, demonstrate a unified focus on making global container shipping as safe and resilient as possible.
Key findings from the 2025 report:
576 containers lost in 2024, out of over 250 million containers transported.
This equates to just 0.0002% of all containers transported.
While higher than 2023, 2024 losses are still significantly below the 10-year average (1,274 containers/year).
Trade route changes driving losses: Persistent hostilities in the Red Sea led to a 191% increase in transits around the Cape of Good Hope. The South African Maritime Safety Authority reports nearly 200 containers lost in this region alone, accounting for 35% of 2024’s total container losses.
Despite continued loss-prevention efforts by the industry, the necessary rerouting of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, one of the world’s most difficult and weather-intensive passages, has introduced new challenges. These conditions have contributed to the rise in container losses in 2024.
The responsibility for container safety is shared across the supply chain:
The shipper, packer and freight forwarder are responsible for the container being packed, braced and stowed safely in accordance with the CTU Code, that the contents shipped are safe and free from visible pest contamination, and that the gross mass of the packed container is verified and together with the contents are correctly declared to the carrier in accordance with applicable timelines.
The carrier must ensure that containers are secured in the hold in racks and lashed together with steel bars and locks to be secure and stable. Container vessels are designed to transport containers safely and many precautions are taken to avoid that container are lost or dislodged even if under extreme stress.
But despite all precautions rough weather, incendiary cargo or other incidents can cause containers to be lost overboard. In addition to possible harm to crew, polluting sea and shores, containers lost at sea can pose an accident risk.
To reduce the number of containers lost at sea, WSC and several member lines partnered in the MARINE Top Tier study. This project aims to - based on scientific analyses, studies, and desktop as well as real-life measurements - develop specific, actionable and effective recommendations. Initial results from the study show that parametric rolling in following seas is especially hazardous for container vessels, a phenomenon that is not well known and can develop unexpectedly with severe consequences.
To prevent further incidents due to various forms of parametric rolling, training materials and tools have been developed in the form of:
A Notice to Mariners, describing how container vessel crew and operational staff can plan, recognize and act to prevent parametric rolling in following seas
A series of videos to build awareness of the various kinds of parametric and resonant rolling that can occur and how the vessel behaves
A Roll Risk Estimator tool which allows crew to calculate the risk of parametric rolling based on sea and weather conditions as well as vessel specifics
Research is currently taking place into container and lashing gear strength, guidelines for vessel operations, optimizing stowage and voyage planning, and what additional measures should be recommended. In addition to the regularly updated website, the TopTier project has updated the IMO Maritime Safety Committee through presentations and submissions (MSC 106/INF.16), and will continue to report and share insights on a regular basis.
Since 2011, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has undertaken a survey of its members to
accurately estimate the number of containers that are lost at sea each year. The WSC’s member companies operate more than 90% of the global containership capacity; thus, a survey of their losses provides a valid basis for a meaningful estimate of the total number of containers lost at sea.
For more info, you can read the full 2024 report below:
Source: World Shipping Council
