On August 16th, a 13,000 TEU container ship, “CMA CGM BELEM,” owned by CMA CGM, encountered severe weather while navigating near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, causing a collapse of container stacks and leading to 99 containers falling into the sea. The vessel is currently anchored at Port Elizabeth in South Africa for further handling.
According to reports, at 05:00 UTC on August 16th, the sea conditions where the ship was sailing saw wave heights reaching 4.7 meters, with wind speeds peaking at 14 m/s. After the incident, the vessel initially sought refuge in Maputo Bay but, after further assessment, redirected to Port Elizabeth, safely arriving at the port’s anchorage on the evening of August 18th.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) stated that the shipowner has contacted the authorities and has committed to fully cooperating with the investigation. The damaged containers will be processed at the port upon arrival, and there may be further damage to other containers due to the collapse. After the incident, a navigation warning was issued to vessels in the nearby waters, and the public was urged to report any sightings of floating containers.
CMA CGM has yet to release a statement on the matter, likely conducting a comprehensive damage assessment. Exporters and freight forwarders with cargo on this vessel are advised to contact the shipping company immediately to assess the impact on their goods and any potential delays in the ship’s schedule, allowing them to take timely countermeasures.
Records show that on June 28th, the “CMA CGM BELEM,” a 13,000 TEU LNG-powered container ship, held its naming ceremony at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai. This ship is the fifth in a series of six, with the last ship in the series scheduled for delivery in August of this year.
Notably, this is the second incident involving a CMA CGM container ship in South African waters within two months. On July 9th, the “CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin” encountered severe weather while en route from Asia to Europe, also near South Africa, losing 44 containers and damaging 30 others. At that time, a strong cyclone off the South African coast triggered massive waves, significantly reducing the number of vessels passing through the Cape of Good Hope.
This year, South Africa has experienced a series of intense winter storms, posing significant risks to vessels navigating around the Cape of Good Hope. Industry experts have warned that this route, in addition to its longer distance, presents greater weather challenges. Maersk had previously issued an extreme weather warning, noting that the coastal regions of South Africa, particularly between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, would be subject to strong winds, high waves, and heavy rain during this period.
