Maersk containers lost at sea, Danish cleanup efforts

Cleanup efforts are underway along the Danish North Sea coastline as a Maersk container ship lost numerous containers during Storm Pia, just days before Christmas.

The incident, reported by Maersk on December 22, has prompted authorities to issue warnings to ships navigating the North Sea. Police advise caution to residents regarding handling washed-up debris.

Departing from Bremerhaven, Germany, on December 21, the Maersk vessel faced turbulent conditions from Storm Pia. At least four containers have already washed ashore, with an alarming 42 still adrift in the North Sea.

Photographs circulating in Danish media depict a range of items, from refrigerators to medical supplies, scattered across nearly 10 miles of coastline.

Maersk acknowledges the loss of approximately 40 containers and plans a thorough inspection upon reaching Gdansk, Poland, on December 24.

Despite unconfirmed reports of potential additional damage, Maersk assures that no crew members were injured during the incident, and the vessel continues to operate without disruption.

The company has engaged a specialized firm to locate and retrieve the lost containers. The aftermath of Storm Pia underscores the challenges faced by one of Maersk's largest capacity vessels, a 399-meter-long ship flagged under Denmark and built in 2014.