Thread: Containers on the beach

Maersk sends ship to North Jutland to salvage containers while 'gigantic clean-up work' awaits the stand: 'A scandal'


The shipping company has hired experts in finding and recovering lost containers.

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/maersk-sender-skib-til-nordjylland-bjaerge-containere-mens-gigantisk




While you are used to strong winds on the west coast, it is rare that the beautiful, wide beaches are plastered with safety shoes, plastic bags and needles. But that's the case after a large Maersk ship dropped over 40 huge containers into the sea on December 22.

It happened in the early morning hours during storm Pia, and the consequences are felt on the North Jutland stretch of the west coast.

Four containers have already washed ashore, but the vast majority are still out at sea. Therefore, Maersk has now sent a so-called salvage vessel to the area, which will be able to pull the containers out of the water if they can be found.

Maersk writes in a statement.

"We have made an agreement with a company with expertise in locating and recovering lost containers, and we expect to have a recovery vessel in the area by December 25. We are also in dialogue with the beach master to make a joint plan for the clean-up work on the beach.





And that's probably very welcome. The bailiff at Blokhus and Rødhus certainly has plenty to do these days.

- There is a sea of shoes. There are tens of thousands of shoes, says Thomas Durloo.

His area covers 14 kilometres of beach, which is covered like a decorated Christmas tree with shoes, refrigerators, plastic wheels and plastic flowers.

"I've never seen anything like it - it's overwhelming to say the least to see the beach like this. It is a gigantic clean-up job that awaits. It's going to take a long time, he says.

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  On Saturday 23 December, large quantities of drifting goods washed up on the west coast of North Jutland. (Photo: © CLAUS BJØRN LARSEN, Ritzau Scanpix)

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  On Wednesday, Maersk and the area's beach rangers will meet to clean up the beach, which until now consists largely of volunteers. (Photo: © Emil Nicolai Helms, Ritzau Scanpix)
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  Not all locals think it's fast enough. The beachgoers DR met on Monday now took it nicely considering Christmas. (Photo: © Emil Nicolai Helms, Ritzau Scanpix)
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  But especially the large amount of needles is a cause for concern. (Photo: © Emil Nicolai Helms, Ritzau Scanpix)
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  Beach bailiff Thomas Duurloo expects new things to keep washing up for a long time to come. (Photo: © CLAUS BJØRN LARSEN, Ritzau Scanpix)
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  Volunteers have spent the Christmas days collecting the large quantities of drifted goods. Here it is from Christmas Eve on Svinkløv beach. (Photo: © Emil Nicolai Helms, Ritzau Scanpix)
• About 46 containers were lost from a Maersk ship in the North Sea and four have already washed ashore. (Photo: © CLAUS BJØRN LARSEN, Ritzau Scanpix)

A scandal for tourism


And although it may look a bit comical with the many shoes and wheelwheels, it is by no means funny.

- We are known for having some of Northern Europe's most beautiful beaches, so it is a scandal for the beaches that can affect tourism.

In several places, needles have washed up, and it plays poorly with the beach and bare toes.

"It may well be something that hides in the sand and can be a danger to tourism, so we are talking to Maersk about this. We need to clear this up, says Thomas Durloo.

He emphasizes that there is a good dialogue with Maersk about the clean-up work, and at the same time sends a thank you to all the volunteers who clean up.







Beach bailiff Thomas Duurloo fears the many lost items will spread even more after the storm has subsided.
Warnings have no effect


There are also quite a few fortune hunters who have found their way to the drift, and many also take a little - or a lot - home with them.

Yesterday there were almost as many on the beach as on a summer day. And everyone took something," says Thomas Durloo.

But it is illegal because things still belong to the owners, even though it is floating at the water's edge.

"Both I and the police inform about this, but it doesn't have much effect. People say Merry Christmas and turn around and take some more.

Right now, there are not quite as many on the beach, because there is a stormy gale in from the west. Therefore, the waves have also swallowed many of the washed up goods again.

But they come back, and the bailiff fears it will spread over an even larger area of the beach when it returns.

It is the container ship Mayview Maersk that has squandered parts of its cargo. She is now in Gdansk, Poland, unloading the remaining containers, and there are quite a few. She can officially carry 18,270 containers, but it is not disclosed how many know on board during the unfortunate voyage.

Maersk and the stretch's beach rangers are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, and although there is dissatisfaction with the pace in some local social media groups, it does not affect today's beachgoers.

"That's what can happen when a container ship arrives and there's wind. That is how it is. And Maersk wants to help clean things up. That will do, says Poul Simonsen from Aabybro.

Maersk states that the shipping company will conduct a thorough investigation of what has happened to work to ensure that it does not happen again.






Mayview Maersk' is almost 400 meters long. (Photo: © CHRISTOPHE GATEAU, Christophe Gateau/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Originally Posted by helge

There are also quite a few fortune hunters who have found their way to the drift, and many also take a little - or a lot - home with them.

Originally Posted by helge

wide beaches are plastered with safety shoes,

I take a size 45 if you have the time, Helge.

Originally Posted by Mendip

I take a size 45 if you have the time, Helge.

45 ?

Not room for a man's nails there, Melady

One left and one right ?


(hint: don't say that you can squeeze into a 45 and then claim that you have a splendid cock.!!! FFS)