In 2019, the shipping industry carried 226 million containers across the globe with cargo valued at over US$4 trillion. It’s interesting to observe that between 2008 and 2019, on average1382 containers, sank into the sea every year due to stack collapses. This brings us to the question – What causes container collapses, and how can we exercise better control over such incidents?

Think of a scenario where a container owner places his empty containers at another location without having to incur the usual freight charges that would apply for empty container repositioning. Will this not sound profitable to the container owner? Well, this is indeed what is achievable when a container-owning company transports containers as “One-way containers” and “One-trip containers” to other locations. Let’s go a little deep to understand how this works.

According to the World Shipping Council, between 2008 and 2019, an average of 1382 containers was lost at sea each year. This adds up to a staggering 16,584 containers lost during the period.

Every year, moving empty containers costs the shipping industry in excess of 20 billion dollars, according to Boston Consulting Group. This equates to 12% of the shipping industry’s operating costs.

Shipping Containers pass through varied climatic conditions & environments and are subject to severe weather on the seas and ports.  They come in contact with harmful pathogens like mold, bacteria and viruses together with pollen, liquids and other dangerous material.

Weight distribution in container stacks directly affects a vessel’s stability.

Ballast Water can cause serious ecological imbalances due to the release of non-native marine species in coastal areas.

Imagine when it comes to transporting goods in shipping containers, why should we display a sense of complacency with an instinctive trust that the consignment would be in safe hands till it reaches its final destination?  In reality, many a time we are caught on the wrong foot and will regret the casual attitude adopted while stuffing containers with goods and handing them over to the shipper without giving a second thought about the security of the valuable contents inside. 

Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal took 10 years to construct. 12% of world commercial trade and 2.5% crude oil passes through the Suez Canal each day. 50 ships pass through the canal every day. 1.03 billion tons of cargo passed through the canal in 2019.  The Suez Canal is one of the most crucial waterways in the world strategically and economically.

Let’s begin by figuring out the magnitude of atmospheric pollution caused by the maritime industry from an example. Barely 15 large mega-ships account for an equivalent amount of pollution as caused by 760 million cars in the world. Today, shipping is the sixth biggest contributor of emissions and accounts for 2.5% of global greenhouse gases. It is estimated that the maritime industry emits approximately 940 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.