The 14 000-TEU vessel owned by Ocean Network Express (ONE) that suffered the largest box spill in the history of containerisation, ONE Apus, has finally left the Port of Kobe after the completion of recovery and repair procedures.
This after the 2019-built vessel lost 1 816 containers overboard after it encountered strong winds north-west of Hawaii on November 30 last year.
The stacking collapse forced the vessel to deviate from its route from the Port of Yantian on China’s Guangdong coast to the Port of Long Beach, California, heading instead for the Japanese port where it underwent discharging.
During unloading and inspection procedures, 129 containers were discharged from December 11-29, after repairs to the vessel commenced on December 8.
ONE said a further 859 containers had been safely processed by February 17.
And while the Apus is finally heading for its initial destination of Long Beach once more, insurance claims from November’s calamitous voyage are mounting, expected to be in excess of $100 million.
