Storm damaged containership ONE Apus headed for Kobe

A statement from owners Chidori Holding LLC and NYK Shipmanagement said that the ONE Apus was now sailing to Kobe with an estimated arrival of 8 December having turned around following major damage to the vessel’s container stacks in a severe storm while the vessel was bound for the port of Long Beach from Yantian.

Read the latest updates here: Fireworks, batteries and liquid ethanol among cargoes lost from ONE Apus

Is vessel size a factor in collapsed container stacks?

The 14,000 teu vessel suffered loss of 1,816 containers according revised estimates from the owners and managers, with 64 of the containers believed to be dangerous goods cargoes. A photo (above) taken from the containership circulating on social media shows damage to most of the above deck container stacks.

“Once berthed, it’s expected to take some time to offload the dislodged containers that remain on board. Then a thorough assessment will be made on the exact number and type of containers that have been lost or damaged,” the statement from owners and managers said.

ONE Apus charterer Ocean Network Express (ONE) told customers in an advisory: “Meanwhile from visual inspection, we expect the containers in cargo hold to be intact.”

All the vessel’s crew are safe and uninjured following the incident.

Navigational warnings have been broadcast the Joint Rescue and Coordintaion Centres (JRCC) in Honolulu and Guam to shipping in the area warning potential hazards from the containers lost overboard.

It is the second incident of containers lost overboard to hit ONE recently with sistership to the ONE Apus, the 2018-built, 14,052 teu, Panama-flagged ONE Aquila suffering a loss of containers in severe weather on 30 October also while sailing to the Port of Long Beach. The ONE Aquila was diverted to the Port of Tacoma to offload damaged containers and undergo repairs returning to service on 11 November.

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