Container Ship Loses Containers

Almost looks like individual containers failed. You know, the assumption that they can be stacked like lego indefinitely, might be false. How periodically are containers inspected that you can stack them 20 high and expect them to not only hold up the weight but also torsion and sheer?

 

Ive wondered many times how often does this happen and are there containers sitting at the bottom of the ocean.

 

There is a container that fell off a ship in 1992 which was filled with 28,000 rubber duckys and has since contributed significantly to the science of modeling our oceans currents.

'Moby-Duck': When 28,800 Bath Toys Are Lost At Sea

 

A bigger problem is containers that don't sink but float low in the water. They're almost impossible to see at night and their radar signature is poor at best.
There are lots of stories about boats hitting containers and sinking.

 

Yes I remember hearing/seeing something like that. They still wash up occasionally and different points.

 

Wow I would think they would sink immediately. I mean the containers that have fallen off of ships. Funny things is I thought of this story while at the Port in Charleston SC yesterday as the tropical storm moved on shore. The a lot of the port was flooding and the seas were pretty choppy. But, there was a boat unloading and the waters didn't seem to phase the boat one bit. I was at Columbus street which handles machines and drivable vehicles and crated freight, not the ports in the areas where containers are loaded/unloaded.

 

Looks someone didn't secure their cargo! I'm wondering what the fine for that is?