GMM Safety | 2024-08-20 | Case Incidents |

The CMA CGM Belem, a recently inaugurated 13,000 TEU containership, lost 99 containers overboard during a severe storm off South Africa’s east coast on August 15, 2024.

This is the second incident in a month in which a CMA CGM vessel has lost containers in the region, as vessels divert around the Cape of Good Hope due to security concerns in the Red Sea.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) claimed that the vessel had a major stowage collapse during the storm, causing it to seek refuge.

Initially, the ship sought refuge in Maputo Bay, Mozambique, but was directed to the Port of Ngqura near Qheberha (Port Elizabeth) following further inspection. The vessel, registered in Malta, was delivered to CMA CGM in June.

The vessel, registered in Malta and delivered to CMA CGM in June, is currently slow steaming towards the port, with an expected arrival on August 18, 2024.

The Port of Ngqura was chosen as the only suitable refuge in the area due to the vessel’s size—145,650 dwt, 1,102 feet (336 meters) in length, and a draft of 48.5 feet (14.8 meters).

SAMSA has issued a navigational safety alert and requested public reports of any floating cargo.

The CMA CGM Belem is one of six dual-fuel LNG vessels built by CSSC’s Hudong-Zhonghua yard under a contract with CMA CGM.

It set sail from Qingdao, China, on July 18, visiting many Chinese ports and Singapore before arriving in Rio de Janeiro and Santos, Brazil, in early September as planned.

The incident comes after the July 9, 2024, loss of up to 40 containers from another CMA CGM vessel, the 18,000 TEU Benjamin Franklin, in the same area. The Benjamin Franklin began its journey on July 16, following a week-long stop in Algoa Bay.

Industry experts have warned that the Cape of Good Hope route, while a necessary detour due to escalating tensions and attacks in the Red Sea, poses major challenges, especially during South Africa’s severe winter storms.

Recent storms have disrupted container ships and bulk carriers such as the Ultra Galaxy, which sank and broke apart after the crew abandoned it near Cape Town.

CMA CGM has yet to issue an official statement about the incident with the Belem, although a thorough damage assessment is likely underway.

Reference: BairdMaritime