An OOCL containership at the Port of Long Beach. Photo: Richard H Grant / Shutterstock.com
Ultra-large containership to undergo inspection after dozens of boxes lost and damaged in heavy weather.
The ultra-large container ship OOCL Sunflower has arrived at the Port of Long Beach following a North Pacific container loss incident that triggered a U.S. Coast Guard response and safety zone around the vessel.
According to the Coast Guard, the Hong Kong-flagged containership lost 32 containers overboard during heavy weather while transiting south of the Aleutian Islands earlier this month. An additional 57 containers were reported damaged or shifted on deck, prompting concerns about cargo stability as the vessel approached the U.S. West Coast.
A 100-yard safety zone has been established around the ship as crews begin offloading operations and inspectors assess the extent of the damage. Authorities said there have been no reports of injuries or pollution linked to the incident.
A NOAA incident report indicates the container loss occurred on March 3 while the vessel was en route from Taiwan to Long Beach. The crew was unable to complete a full damage assessment at sea due to safety concerns and deferred a detailed inspection until arrival in port. At the time of the report, no hazardous material releases or hull damage below the waterline had been observed.
The OOCL Sunflower, one of OOCL’s newest ultra-large containerships, has a capacity of 16,828 TEU and was delivered in January 2025 from Dalian COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co. The vessel operates on the company’s Trans-Pacific ECX1 service linking major Asian export hubs with U.S. East Coast ports via a 91-day rotation.
The incident comes as the shipping industry continues to grapple with container losses tied to extreme weather and operational pressures. Data from the World Shipping Council shows 576 containers were lost at sea globally in 2024—up from 221 in 2023 but still well below the 10-year average of 1,274. Losses have been increasingly linked to more hazardous routing decisions, including diversions around the Cape of Good Hope amid ongoing Red Sea disruptions.
New international rules that entered into force in January 2026 now require mandatory reporting of all containers lost at sea under amendments to the SOLAS convention. The regulations mandate immediate notification to nearby vessels, coastal authorities, and the ship’s flag state, along with updates as more information becomes available.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach is leading the inspection and response effort, while NOAA officials are reviewing the vessel’s cargo manifest to assess any potential environmental risks.
The full extent of the damage to the OOCL Sunflower and its cargo is expected to become clearer following the port inspection and container offload operations.
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