| Even if your boat is insured, you as an owner have | | | | members say that the "sub-floater" or container that |
| the responsibility of securing your property. In the | | | | is submerged just below the water level, is a myth |
| event of an accident or damage, boat owners of | | | | that can be disproven with the laws of physics. Just |
| insured vessels have every reason to remain calm, as | | | | how much cargo is lost at sea? Estimates vary |
| your marine insurance company will strive to deal | | | | between 2,000 to 10,000 containers every year. |
| with the case fairly. Here are tips of what to do | | | | Accidents due to human error and natural disasters |
| after loss or damage. Inform your insurer as soon as | | | | can happen unexpectedly. Everything that could go |
| possible. In case of theft or a malicious third party, | | | | on a ship could be lost, from cars to spare parts. |
| inform the police. Fill out and submit the claim form | | | | Some, however, manage to float to shore, including |
| immediately, attached with repair estimates. A Marine | | | | rubber shoes and rubber ducks. The consequences |
| Surveyor may contact you to advise on repairs and | | | | are not only economic; they are also environmental |
| make a report. The Container Owners Association | | | | costs. Oil and dangerous materials are transported by |
| calculates that a fully loaded 20-foot dry freight | | | | sea, posing serious harm to marine life when spills |
| container will float because its volume displaces | | | | occur. Piracy is also a possibility and there are fears |
| 83,000 pounds of water, more than its weight of 30 | | | | that pirates and terrorists are teaming up. In the next |
| tonnes or 66,000 pounds. Mathematically, it would | | | | few posts, we will take a closer look at container |
| float with 18 inches sticking out of the water. | | | | shipping. The World Cruising Club is circumnavigating |
| However, if water enters and increases the weight | | | | the globe this very moment. They started from the |
| to over 83,000 pounds, the container will sink. Floating | | | | Caribbean in January and are presently in the area of |
| containers were previously shot at or exploded to | | | | the Cook Islands in the Pacific. Sailing around the |
| sink them and reduce their danger to ships because | | | | world is the dream of many a sailor, and it is an great |
| this was less expensive than salvage costs for | | | | accomplishment in its own right, as the oceans of the |
| towing and recovery. This is now illegal because of | | | | world are vast expanses that demand competent |
| the pollution risk it poses. The Container Owners | | | | crews. World ARC has been running events such as |
| Association provides some information collected from | | | | this for the past 20 years and have plenty of |
| its members about floating shipping containers. How | | | | experience in ocean sailing. There is weather and |
| long a container cast adrift or fallen overboard will | | | | routing advice, and yacht positions are tracked and |
| float before sinking depends on the container and its | | | | updated frequently. There are required safety and |
| cargo. It is possible for containers to sink instantly or | | | | communications equipment, and potentially unsafe |
| stay adrift for years. However, even empty | | | | areas are avoided. The fleet should reach Fiji in July, |
| containers may not watertight and sink almost | | | | Mauritius in October and Cape Town in time for |
| immediately. Containers with large but low-density | | | | Christmas. |
| cargo have a better chance of floating. COA | | | | Jon Caldwell is a professional content manager. |