South Korean-operated ship suffers container loss and damage in bad weather in Bering Sea

A container vessel operated by South Korean shipping company SM Line lost some of its cargo of containers as it was sailing in bad weather in the Bering Sea off the coast of Canada on Tuesday, March 4.

The 4,228TEU SM Portland was en route to Vancouver when strong winds caused it to roll heavily. SM Line said this then resulted in the loss, collapse, and damage of 115 onboard containers.

The ship has since changed course to avoid rough waves. It is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on Monday, March 10.

The ship will first need to undergo an inspection by Canadian transport authorities and the Canadian Coast Guard before it can be cleared to berth and offload its cargo.

SM Line has advised affected customers to review their transport documents to confirm whether the ship was indeed transporting their goods at the time of the mishap.

The company has also assured that it is continuing to monitor the situation.