Oocl-Sunflower

The 'OOCL Sunflower' has arrived at the port of Long Beach on March 16, after losing containers in heavy weather with 20-ft seas in the North Pacific, triggering a response from the US Coast Guard. 32 containers were lost overboard while sailing south of the Aleutian Islands on March 3, with a further 57 boxes being damaged or displaced on deck following the incident. The entire forward stack was leaning to port side, with several boxes appearing to have been crushed. The damage appeared to have been limited to the single row at the bow of the vessel. The vessel had arrived off Southern California several days ago and moored on the port's anchorage on March 16. The U.S. Coast Guard inspected the damage, and additional lashings were added in an attempt to further secure the tipped boxes. The Coast Guard was concerned the boxes could topple as the ship was maneuvered into its berth and has established a 100-yard safety zone around the ship as discharge operations started, and inspectors boarded the vessel to assess the cargo condition and structural impacts. Crews have carried out emergency lashing operations at the Port of Long Beach to secure damaged containers, using straps, chains and turnbuckles to prevent further shifting. The scale of the cargo impact was still being determined, with authorities reviewing the vessel’s manifest to identify any potentially hazardous goods and assess whether further response measures were required. No injuries or pollution have been reported. The crew had been unable to complete a full assessment at sea due to safety risks in rough conditions, with a detailed survey now underway in port. Early checks found no evidence of hazardous material release or damage below the waterline. The incident occurred during a transpacific voyage from Kaohsiung to Long Beach. As of March 23, the ship remained stationary at the terminal in Long Beach. Report with photos and video: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-19/port-of-long-beach-containers-lost-damaged https://splash247.com/oocl-sunflower-docks-in-long-beach-after-pacific-box-losses/ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JrknZ35JOjg

The 'OOCL Sunflower', operated by OOCL, suffered a serious container loss on March 3, 2026, en route from Yantian (Shenzhen) to Long Beach, in the North Pacific south of the Aleutian Island Chain. The vessel had departed Yantian on Feb 19, and encountered extreme weather conditions in the North Pacific while sailing towards the port of destination. During the heavy seas, 57 containers were lost overboard, while additional containers on deck were damaged or shifted due to violent vessel motion. The carrier has indicated that a significant number of shipments may be affected, although the exact number of lost or damaged containers has not yet been confirmed. The crew had not yet been able to fully assess the extent of the damage due to safety concerns at sea. There have been no observed discharges of material overboard and no reported damage below the waterline. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC). USCG Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach was actively preparing for the vessel’s arrival, while the NOAA scientific support team was reviewing the ship’s cargo manifest to assess potential environmental risks. A comprehensive evaluation was scheduled to take place upon the ship’s arrival at the Port of Long Beach on March 12.