After the incident where it lost 750 containers overboard in heavy seas, the Maersk ESSEN is currently steaming to APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, where it is expected to arrive on Saturday, January 30, 2021.  Approximately half of the containers lost overboard were carrying cargo for Maersk’s 2M Alliance partner, MSC.

MSC had earlier advised its customers that after damaged containers and collapsed stacks were dealt with in Lazaro Cardenas, the ESSEN would continue to Pier 400 in Los Angeles to offload its remaining cargo.

Maersk is now advising that while it is awaiting the vessel’s arrival and a detailed damage inspection, it is exploring four different options. With the caveat that it is not yet clear how long it will take to clear the damaged boxes and how long the vessel will need to be at Lazaro Cardenas, the four options Maersk is exploring currently are:

• Leaving the non-damaged containers onboard and sailing to Pier 400 for discharge, which would involve a 3-day sailing time and a 14 day wait at anchor (based on current delays). “Once at berth this could still be a 6-day period to discharge the vessel due to the current ganging restrictions in the port of Los Angeles/Long Beach”, Maersk said.
• Loading Maersk Essen cargo on another vessel in Lazaro Cardenas for transit to Los Angeles.
• Routing containers via rail by Kansas City Southern (KCS) to Los Angeles and final destinations as originally booked. “We are working with KCS to determine timing and rail capacity. Depending on US location, this could range from 7-12 days best case scenario.” 
• Facilitating offloading goods for local consumption in Mexico. “For those customers willing to leave cargo within their Mexico supply chains, APM Terminals Lazaro Cardenas has daily departures with dedicated trains to Mexico City’s 21 million consumer market”.

While it is floating the above for scenarios as options, Maersk stressed that the first step when the vessel gets into Lazaro Cardenas is to properly assess the extent of the damage and the time it will take to offload collapsed stacks and perform any necessary repairs to the vessel.