Global container losses at sea rose sharply to 576 in 2024, compared with just 221 in 2023, according to a World Shipping Council report . While still well below the 10-year average of approximately 1,274 containers per year, the increase signals growing vulnerability linked to altered shipping routes.
Shipping rerouting efforts to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have pushed vessels toward the notoriously rough waters around the Cape of Good Hope. The World Shipping Council flagged this detour as a key factor behind the record rise in container losses, noting nearly a third occurred off South Africa . These losses are part of broader ripple effects from the crisis, which has reduced Red Sea transits by 66% and forced carriers to sail around Africa, adding time, cost, and heightened risk to maritime operations .
