Ultra-large Container Ship Undergoes Inspection After Losing and Damaging Containers in Bad Weather
The OOCL Sunflower, a very large container ship, has reached the Port of Long Beach following an incident in the North Pacific, where it lost and damaged several containers due to rough weather. This situation prompted a response from the U.S. Coast Guard and led to a safety zone being established around the ship.
The Coast Guard reported that the Hong Kong-flagged vessel lost 32 containers overboard while sailing south of the Aleutian Islands earlier this month. Additionally, 57 containers on board were damaged or shifted, raising concerns about the stability of the cargo as the ship approached the West Coast of the U.S.
A safety zone of 100 yards has been set up around the OOCL Sunflower as teams begin unloading the cargo and inspectors examine the damage. Authorities confirmed that there have been no injuries or pollution linked to this incident.
According to a NOAA incident report, the container loss occurred on March 3 while the ship was traveling from Taiwan to Long Beach. The crew could not conduct a full damage assessment at sea due to safety issues, so a detailed inspection was postponed until the ship arrived at the port. At the time of the report, there were no signs of hazardous material leaks or damage to the hull below the waterline.
The OOCL Sunflower is one of the newest ultra-large container ships from OOCL, with a capacity of 16,828 TEU. It was delivered in January 2025 from Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co. The vessel operates on the company’s Trans-Pacific ECX1 service, connecting major Asian export hubs with U.S. East Coast ports in a 91-day rotation.
This incident highlights ongoing issues in the shipping industry, which has been facing container losses due to severe weather and operational challenges. Data from the World Shipping Council reveals that 576 containers were lost at sea globally in 2024, an increase from 221 in 2023, although it remains below the 10-year average of 1,274. Many of these losses are related to riskier routing choices, such as diversions around the Cape of Good Hope due to disruptions in the Red Sea.
New international regulations that came into effect in January 2026 mandate the reporting of all containers lost at sea as per amendments to the SOLAS convention. Ships must now immediately notify nearby vessels, coastal authorities, and their flag state, providing updates as more information becomes available.
The inspection and response effort is led by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach, while NOAA officials are reviewing the ship’s cargo manifest to evaluate potential environmental risks.
More details about the damage to the OOCL Sunflower and its cargo are expected to emerge after the port inspection and unloading operations are completed.