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Monday, May 6, 2024

Shipping containers plunge overboard as supply race raises risks

Containers washed overboard from Maersk Eindhoven which experienced an engine stop in harsh weather near Japan on Feb 17 while en route from Xiamen, China, to Los Angeles, California.

SINGAPORE: Containers piled high on giant vessels carrying everything from car tyres to smartphones are toppling over at an alarming rate, sending millions of dollars of cargo sinking to the bottom of the ocean as pressure to speed deliveries raises the risk of safety errors.

The shipping industry is seeing the biggest spike in lost containers in seven years. More than 3,000 boxes dropped into the sea last year, and more than 1,000 have fallen overboard so far in 2021.

The accidents are disrupting supply chains for hundreds of US retailers and manufacturers such as Amazon and Tesla.

There are a host of reasons for the sudden…

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