Efforts to cut the loss of containers at sea appear slow, but show steady progress
 While the extent of the statistical loss of containers at sea is tiny - 0.00052 per cent of the 250 million containers shipped - the loss is serious enough to motivate remedial action.
Action comes in the form of the TopTier Project, launched in 2021. It is led by MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands), and is a joint project involving 40 stakeholders - including national authorities, major shipping lines, classification societies, insurers, and lashing equipment manufacturers.
Gerald Lange, senior product manager Container Vessel Safety (CVS), was at the recent 2025 SAFETY4SEA Hamburg Forum to discuss the findings of the TopTier Project.
He said TopTier has made significant progress in understanding and addressing the causes of container loss at sea.
According to the World Shipping Council, the average annual container loss between 2008–2022 was 1,566 containers. In 2022, that number dropped to 661, and in 2023, it hit a record low of just 221 containers lost. That doesn't match TopTier figures, but that's been a problem in shipping since Noah's Ark.
Thus, we are better informed about the causes of container losses at sea. The first cause is heavy weather and sideways waves that result in "parametric rolling", a dangerous ship motion that causes containers to topple into the sea.
Then comes the contributing cause of mis-declared weights and mis-stowage. Investigations show that inaccurate cargo data and poor stacking result in many accidents.
Also there is under performing lashing gear. Again investigations show how wear and tear causes accidents at sea.
Parametric rolling leads to extreme rolling motions that exceed the ship's design parameters and can quickly escalate into dangerous situations.
TopTier also canvassed the views of 15,000 seafarers. Many reported that loading plans, which define the positioning of containers, are delivered late while the vessel is in port. This creates pressure and uncertainty for the crew.
Measurements taken in ports such as Hamburg and Rotterdam showed that up to 20 per cent of containers were mis-stowed. That is, not placed according to the final stowage plan. This is critical because the vessel’s lashing computer relies on accurate input to assess load conditions. A misaligned stowage plan can lead to incorrect safety assessments and increase the risk of container loss.
Shipowners, who are most invested in vessel safety, are seldom involved in the planning process. The captain, however, is legally responsible for the vessel and must ensure its seaworthiness despite having little control over container placement or the accuracy of the stowage plan. This mismatch between responsibility and authority poses a serious safety risk.
To address these issues, the industry is beginning to embrace collaborative approaches and technological innovations. One promising direction is improved data sharing between stakeholders.
By bringing together planners, terminals, and vessel operators, as facilitated by the TopTier project, more cohesive and informed decisions can be made to enhance safety. Tools have also been developed to assist shipmasters at sea.
Moreover, once at sea, there is often limited visibility into how weather conditions affect cargo safety. While weather forecasts are available, the direct impact on the vessel’s current load and lashing condition remains unclear. This lack of actionable insight adds to the risk. Another significant finding from TopTier involved the accuracy of stowage plans.
The stowage plan is often created by a carrier-owned planning centre. Terminal operators focus on port efficiency, such as moves per hour, and once the vessel departs, their role ends.
This is further complicated by the fragmented nature of responsibilities among various stakeholders. Too often containers are not placed according to the final stowage plan.
This discrepancy is critical because the vessel’s lashing computer relies on accurate input to assess load conditions. A misaligned stowage plan can lead to incorrect safety assessments and increase the risk of container loss.
To address these issues, Mr Lang said, the industry is beginning to embrace collaborative approaches and technological innovations. Improved data sharing between stakeholders is a promising remedial direction, he said.
By bringing together planners, terminals, and vessel operators, as facilitated by the TopTier project, more cohesive and informed decisions can be made to enhance safety. Tools have also been developed to assist shipmasters at sea.
For instance, guidance such as the “Beware of parametric rolling in the following seas” provides recommendations for avoiding following seas, which can contribute to dangerous rolling conditions. Additionally, roll risk estimators use radar plots to help captains adjust speed and course. These are often the only variables under their control once at sea.
Technology now plays an essential role in mitigating risks. Advanced systems combine lashing data with three-dimensional sensors to calculate real-time loads on the container securing system. These systems can detect when safety thresholds are exceeded and provide immediate guidance.
For example, if the system indicates that structural limits are being approached, the onboard interface can offer actionable recommendations, such as adjusting speed or course, to return the vessel to safe operating conditions.
Every container lost can have an environmental impact and contribute to reputational damage. A notable example is the MSC Zoe incident in 2019, where containers washed ashore in the UK, creating a public relations problem that draws attention to the risks of container shipping.
However, the industry has set an ambitious target: to reduce container losses to zero. Recent research efforts, particularly under the TopTier project, have provided a deeper understanding of the causes behind these incidents.
Whether such efforts can bring container losses at sea down to zero, is doubtful. But any efforts in this direction should bring the boxes lost down towards that goal. |
