On July 9, 2024, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin encountered unexpectedly strong adverse weather conditions off the South African resulting in 44 containers lost at sea, and 30 containers on the vessel damaged.
Luckily, no injuries to the crew have been reported, and there is no pollution or significant damage to the vessel, which remains fully seaworthy. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that all containers lost at sea contained harmless goods and did not contain any dangerous cargo, CMA CGM informs.
According to the company, CMA CGM promptly notified the relevant authorities and will proceed to Cape Town for a thorough assessment of the situation. Necessary measures will be taken to ensure the continued safe voyage of the vessel.
This year, container shipping activity around the Cape of Good Hope has significantly increased as vessels seek to avoid Middle East chokepoints due to ongoing missile and drone attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
In another incident due to the hazardous weather, the MV Ultra Galaxy was en route to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, when it encountered hazardous conditions that led to its listing off South Africa.
As a result, severe weather conditions near the Cape of Good Hope this week have led to a complete suspension of container traffic, according to an analysis by LSEG Shipping Research.
