Has It Happened Again? Second Container Overboard Incident in a Month—Is the Problem Really Just the Weather? 又发生了：一个月内第二起集装箱落海，问题真的只是天气吗？

On the night of January 9, another container overboard incident occurred in the English Channel. This marks the second similar incident in the same area within just one month. Based on available information, both incidents occurred under extreme weather conditions. However, as the frequency of such events rises, a pressing question for the industry emerges: Against the backdrop of increasingly normalized extreme weather and high-risk shipping lanes, should container overboard incidents still be simplistically viewed as “occasional accidents”?

1 月 9 日夜间，英吉利海峡再次发生集装箱落海事故。在短短一个月内，这已经是同一区域发生的第二起类似事件。从公开信息看，两起事故均发生在极端天气条件下。但随着事件频率上升，一个值得行业关注的问题也随之浮现：在高风险航道与极端天气逐渐常态化的背景下，集装箱落海事故，是否仍应被简单视为"偶发事件"？

According to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) of the United Kingdom, a rapidly intensifying winter storm (commonly known as a "bomb cyclone") affected the English Channel waters on the night of January 9 local time. Wind gusts in some areas reached 99 mph, accompanied by heavy seas and intense rainfall. The storm peaked during the night. At approximately 2310 hours, the MCA received a report that an unnamed vessel had lost 17 containers between the Nab Tower and the Isle of Wight. Subsequently, a second vessel reported losing seven containers about 16 nautical miles south of St. Catherine's Point.

据英国海事与海岸警卫局（MCA）通报，当地时间 1 月 9 日夜间，一场快速增强的冬季风暴（俗称"炸弹气旋"）影响英吉利海峡水域，部分地区阵风高达99英里/小时，伴随巨浪与强降雨。风暴于夜间达到峰值。23时10分左右，MCA接报，一艘未具名船舶在纳布灯塔与怀特岛之间丢失17个集装箱。随后，第二艘船舶报告，在圣凯瑟琳角以南约16海里处丢失7个集装箱。

The MCA immediately dispatched fixed-wing aircraft for an aerial search, issued warnings to passing vessels about the risk of floating containers, and is cooperating with the relevant shipping companies to confirm the contents of the containers. Preliminary information indicates that the first batch of lost containers may have been reefers, the second batch may have been empty, and some containers are believed to have sunk.

MCA随即派出固定翼飞机进行空中搜寻，警告过往船舶注意水面漂浮集装箱风险，并正与相关运输公司合作确认箱内货物。初步信息显示，首批丢失的集装箱可能为冷藏箱，第二批可能为空箱，部分集装箱被认为已沉没。

Notably, this is the second serious container overboard incident in the same area within a month. In the previous incident, a refrigerated cargo vessel lost 16 containers. The MCA's investigation pointed to improper container securing as a likely primary cause and mentioned risky practices where workers sometimes begin releasing lashings early to speed up cargo handling.

值得注意的是，这已是一个月内同一区域发生的第二起严重集装箱落海事故。上一次事故中，一艘冷藏船丢失了16个集装箱，MCA的调查已指向集装箱系固不当可能是主因，并提及工作人员有时为加快装卸速度而提前解除绑扎的风险操作。

Analysis of Core Risk Factors: Impact of Extreme Weather on Navigation Safety

核心风险点分析：极端天气对航行安全的影响

In this incident, the extreme weather, termed a "bomb cyclone," acted as both the direct trigger and an amplifying factor. Such storms intensify rapidly and unexpectedly, posing multiple severe challenges to vessel navigation and port operations:

此次事故中，号称"炸弹气旋"的极端天气是直接诱因和放大器。这类风暴强度会急剧、意外地增强，对船舶航行和港口运营构成多重严峻挑战：

Vessel Handling and Stability Pushed to Limits: Extreme winds and waves significantly reduce steering effectiveness, increase main engine load, and cause severe rolling and pitching. This not only makes it difficult for the vessel to maintain course but also directly threatens deck cargo securing, hatch watertight integrity, and hull structural strength, easily leading to cargo shift, lashing failure, and even vessel flooding.

船舶操纵与稳性面临极限考验：极端风浪会大幅降低船舶舵效，增加主机负荷，并使船舶产生剧烈横摇和垂荡。这不仅使船舶难以保持航向，更对甲板货物系固、舱盖水密性及船体结构强度构成直接威胁，极易导致货物移位、系固失效乃至船舶进水。

Reduced Visibility and Increased Positioning Errors: Heavy rain, high seas, and low clouds severely degrade visibility and can affect the accuracy of electronic positioning equipment, multiplying navigation risks in narrow or congested waterways like the English Channel.

能见度降低与定位误差增大：暴雨、巨浪和低云会严重恶化能见度，同时可能影响电子定位设备的精度，使船舶在狭窄或交通密集的航道（如英吉利海峡）中航行风险倍增。

Extremely Short Decision-Making Window: “Bomb cyclones” develop rapidly. Traditional weather forecasts may fail to reflect their intensification speed in time. If the captain lacks sufficient decision-making authority or relies on lagging information, the critical window for adjusting course, reducing speed, or seeking shelter can easily be missed.

决策窗口期极短：“炸弹气旋”发展迅速，传统的天气预报可能无法及时反映其增强速度。若船长未能获得充分的决策授权或依赖滞后信息，极易错失调整航向、减速或寻求避风的宝贵时机。

Practical Recommendations and Personnel Action Points for Extreme Weather

极端天气下的实操建议与人员行动要点

In the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather, passive reaction is far from adequate. A systematic, proactive prevention and response mechanism must be established.

面对愈发频繁的极端天气，被动应对远远不够，必须建立系统性的主动预防和响应机制。

Recommendations for Shipowners and Management Companies:

对船东与管理公司的建议：

1.Invest in and Authorize the Use of Professional Meteorological Services: Subscribe to high-precision, short-interval specialized weather forecasting and routing guidance services for vessels on high-risk routes. Clearly grant the captain “absolute decision-making authority based on safety risks,” supporting decisive actions such as deviation, slowing down, or sheltering when extreme weather threats are anticipated. The company should provide support for any resulting schedule losses.

投资并授权使用专业气象服务：为高风险航线船舶订阅高精度、短间隔的专项气象预报与路由指导服务。明确授予船长“基于安全风险的绝对决策权”，支持其在预判极端天气威胁时，果断采取绕航、滞航或避风措施，公司将为此产生的船期损失提供保障。

2.Develop an “Extreme Weather Checklist”: Supplement standard voyage planning with a specialized preparation checklist for extreme weather. This should cover: enhanced cargo securing plans, re-inspection of watertight facilities, testing of critical equipment (steering gear, main engine, bilge system), confirmation of emergency supplies, and contingency anchoring/shelter plans.

制定“极端天气检查单”：在标准航行计划基础上，增加针对极端天气的专项准备检查单，内容需涵盖：货物系固加强方案、水密设施复查、关键设备（舵机、主机、排水系统）测试、应急物资确认以及备用锚泊/避风方案。

3.Strengthen Emergency Coordination with Ports: Establish emergency communication channels with the management of frequently visited ports. Proactively understand each port's emergency plans under extreme weather, including shelter locations and capacity, to enable rapid coordination when needed.

强化与港口的应急协同：与经常挂靠的港口管理方建立紧急沟通渠道，提前了解各港在极端天气下的应急预案、避风区位置和接纳能力，以便在需要时能迅速协调。

Action Guidelines for Captains and Crew:

对船长与船员的行动指南：

Upon Receiving a Warning:

收到预警时：

Immediate Assessment: Conduct an urgent assessment of the storm's path, intensity, and potential impact on the vessel in consultation with the officer on watch, utilizing professional meteorological information.

立即评估：结合专业气象信息，会同驾驶员对风暴路径、强度及对本船的影响进行紧急评估。

Preemptive Reinforcement: Ensure completion of additional securing and checks for deck cargo, movable equipment, and hatches before conditions deteriorate.

提前加固：在天气恶化前，务必完成对甲板货物、可移动设备及舱口的额外系固和检查。

Decisive Decision-Making: If it is judged unsafe to transit through or avoid the storm's core area, execute sheltering or route alteration plans without hesitation and promptly report the decision and rationale to the company.

果断决策：若判断无法安全穿越或避开风暴核心区，应毫不犹豫地执行避风或改变航路计划，并将决定及原因及时报告公司。

While Navigating in the Storm:

风暴中航行时：

Exercise Caution: Utilize the best available navigation means, appropriately increase lookouts, and request pilot or tug assistance if necessary.

保持谨慎：使用最佳可用的导航手段，适当增加瞭望人员，必要时申请引航员或拖轮协助。

Continuous Monitoring: Closely monitor vessel stability, structural stress, and the condition of cargo holds and machinery spaces. Report any abnormalities immediately.

持续监控：密切监控船舶稳性、

Follow Procedures: Strictly execute reporting procedures for container overboard or distress situations, accurately recording key data.

按章处置：严格执行集装箱落海或遇险的报告程序，准确记录关键数据。

Prioritize Safety: Under the premise of ensuring the safety of personnel and the vessel itself, cooperate with subsequent emergency response measures.

优先安全：在确保人员与船舶本体安全的前提下，配合后续应急处置。

Conclusion

总结

Reviewing recent multiple incidents, several common issues are being repeatedly highlighted by industry peers: Is there access to high-frequency, short-cycle professional meteorological information support? Does the captain have sufficiently clear decision-making authority when facing risks? Has additional securing and equipment inspection been a completed before weather deteriorates? At the corporate level, is there institutional support for safety decisions like deviation or slowing down? At the corporate level, is there institutional support for safety decisions like deviation or slowing down? Against the backdrop of high-risk shipping lanes combined with complex meteorological conditions, these “pre-incident decisions” are having an increasingly direct impact on accident outcomes.

从近期多起事件来看，一些共性问题正在被航运业同行们反复提及：是否具备高频、短周期的专业气象信息支持？船长在面临风险时，是否拥有足够明确的决策授权？在天气恶化前，是否完成了额外的系固与设备检查？企业层面，是否为绕航、滞航等安全决策提供制度支持？高风险航道与复杂气象条件叠加的背景下，这些“事前决策”正在对事故结果产生越来越直接的影响。

Viewed in isolation, a single container overboard incident might still be attributed to weather factors. However, when similar incidents occur multiple times within a short period, the industry clearly needs to conduct more systematic reviews. In an era where the frequency of extreme weather is constantly rising, how to manage risks proactively amidst uncertainty is becoming a crucial subject for maritime safety.  This issue likely warrants ongoing attention from all relevant parties.

从单起事件看，集装箱落海或许仍可被归因于天气因素；但当类似事件在短时间内多次出现，行业显然有必要进行更系统的复盘。在极端天气出现频率不断上升的当下，如何在不确定性中提前管理风险，正在成为航运安全的重要课题。这一问题，或许值得所有相关方持续关注。