Container ship YM Efficiency (IMO 9353280) lost 83 containers overboard in the waters off Newcastle on Thursday (31/05) night. The vessel was sailing from Taiwan to Sydney.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority told Daily Cargo News it was informed the containership lost the containers in heavy weather.
“The ship was transiting offshore of Stockton beach near Newcastle when it lost the containers at about midnight,” an AMSA spokesperson told DCN.
AMSA has tasked its Essendon Challenger jet to assess the YM Efficiency for any damage and to try locate any afloat containers.
“AMSA has also issued a safety broadcast to all ships in the area,” the spokesperson said.
New South Wales authorities are to take the lead on container recovery under the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies.
According to Marinetraffic.com, YM Efficiency was launched in 2008, is flagged in Liberia and has a dead weight tonnage of 52,773.
The ABC has reported that two containers have already been sighted about 100 metres offshore from Fingal Head and Boondelbah Island.
Roads and Maritime executive director Angus Mitchell told the ABC while the contents of the containers were unknown, it was understood they did not contain dangerous goods.
