The responsibility for container safety is shared across the supply chain:

• The shipper, packer and freight forwarder are responsible for the container being packed, braced and stowed safely in accordance with the CTU Code, that the contents shipped are safe and free from visible pest contamination, and that the gross mass of the packed container is verified and together with the contents are correctly declared to the carrier in accordance with applicable timelines.

• The carrier must ensure that containers are secured in the hold in racks and lashed together with steel bars and locks to be secure and stable. Container vessels are designed to transport containers safely and many precautions are taken to avoid that container are lost or dislodged even if under extreme stress.

But despite all precautions rough weather, incendiary cargo or other incidents can cause containers to be lost overboard. In addition to possible harm to crew, polluting sea and shores, containers lost at sea can pose an accident risk.

To reduce the number of containers lost at sea, WSC and several member lines partnered in the MARINE Top Tier study. This project aims to - based on scientific analyses, studies, and desktop as well as real-life measurements - develop specific, actionable and effective recommendations. Initial results from the study show that parametric rolling in following seas is especially hazardous for container vessels, a phenomenon that is not well known and can develop unexpectedly with severe consequences.

To prevent further incidents due to various forms of parametric rolling, training materials and tools have been developed in the form of:

• A Notice to Mariners, describing how container vessel crew and operational staff can plan, recognize and act to prevent parametric rolling in following seas

• A series of videos to build awareness of the various kinds of parametric and resonant rolling that can occur and how the vessel behaves  

• A Roll Risk Estimator tool which allows crew to calculate the risk of parametric rolling based on sea and weather conditions as well as vessel specifics 

Research is currently taking place into container and lashing gear strength, guidelines for vessel operations, optimizing stowage and voyage planning, and what additional measures should be recommended. In addition to the regularly updated website, the TopTier project has updated the IMO Maritime Safety Committee through presentations and submissions (MSC 106/INF.16), and will continue to report and share insights on a regular basis.

We will continue to explore and implement preventive and risk-based measures to keep the loss of containers as close to zero as possible. And we welcome continued cooperation from governments and other stakeholders to accomplish this goal.