Posted on 04/27/2021 5:14:11 AM PDT by lasereye
Containers piled high on giant vessels carrying everything from car tires 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 U.S. retailers and manufacturers such as Amazon and Tesla.
There are a host of reasons for the sudden rise in accidents. Weather is getting more unpredictable, while ships are growing bigger, allowing for containers to be stacked higher than ever before. But greatly exacerbating the situation is a surge in e-commerce after consumer demand exploded during the pandemic, increasing the urgency for shipping lines to deliver products as quickly as possible.
“The increased movement of containers means that these very large containerships are much closer to full capacity than in the past,” said Clive Reed, founder of Reed Marine Maritime Casualty Management Consultancy. “There is commercial pressure on the ships to arrive on time and consequently make more voyages.”
After gale-force winds and large waves buffeted the 364-meter One Apus in November, causing the loss of more than 1,800 containers, footage showed thousands of steel boxes strewn like Lego pieces onboard, some torn to metal shreds. The incident was the worst since 2013, when the MOL Comfort broke in two and sank with its entire cargo of 4,293 containers into the Indian Ocean.
Almost all the recent incidents have occurred in the Pacific Ocean, a region where the busiest traffic and the worst weather collide.
(Excerpt) Read more at insurancejournal.com ...
Everything I’ve seen is that the lumber business is insane right now, that looks to be just another aspect of that.
I wonder if the logistics situation is partially because of Covid disruptions that started over a year ago at this point still working themselves through the system?
Yep, we just need two weeks to flatten the curve.
Maybe this is the real reason for the “rising sea levels”?
I’m currently building a house in PA right now. We experienced a 20-30% increase in materials from when we designed the house in July of 2020 to when we signed the contract in December. We were lucky. As of now our contractors have told us some material costs are approaching 400% increases from pre-COVID. the housing market is crazy right now and I hate to see another housing crash like we experienced in 2000s...
I’ve been watching a video series on youtube about a guy and hot Italian chick spending 4 months last year island hopping along the remote NE Australian coast without resupply, except for fuel.
Living out of a 17’ center console boat they camp and lived off the land and sea.
The amount of plastic garbage they encounter along the high tide line on some of the islands is sad.
https://www.youtube.com/user/xxBack2Basics
90% is from China.
Common 2x4 studs have doubled in price from pre-covid at my local Lowe’s
I will only get super upset if guns and ammo for us are washed overboard.
Containers in the sea must be hazards for ships at sea!!
“the ones that float are a real problem.”
Just strap an outboard motor to those and drive em back to port.
“Fell off the ship” is the new “fell off the truck”
“90% is from China.”
But people in Omaha have to stop using plastic straws.
The photo above is called a “oopsie” in nautical terms.
Expected to see the words “climate change responsible” to be found at least once. It was not; disappointment knows no bounds. [/s]
good idea haha
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.