[Advantage Logistics] The containership ZIM Kingston is currently battling a cargo fire after the ship lost 40 containers in heavy seas west of the United States-Canadian border. The ship is currently at anchor in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported Friday that it was monitoring several adrift containers observed about 43 miles west of the Straits of Juan de Fuca entrance after they were lost from an inbound vessel when it listed in heavy seas. An update said as many as 35 containers had been observed floating and are being monitored as they drifted to the north.
The ship is the Maltese-flagged ZIM Kingston, is 4,253 TEU capacity containership built in 2008. The ship is now anchored in Constance Bank off Victoria, B.C., and a fire has broke out in the cargo area.
ZIM Kingston experienced heavy seas from a strong low pressure system that impacted the region Thursday into Friday and at times was at hurricane force with seas up to 9 meters.
AIS shows the vessel was sailing from Busan, South Korea. Reporting now indicates that the crew of the ZIM Kingston has been advised to abandon ship.
Below is NOAA NWS Pacific Surface Analysis from Thursday showing a minimum low pressure of 952 mb. A Coast Guard overflight on Friday located approximately 35 containers.
Source: Gcaptain
