On 1 January 2026 the international obligation to report containers lost at sea came into force, marking a significant regulatory development for the entire freight transport and maritime logistics chain. The measure, adopted by the International Maritime Organization through amendments to Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention, introduces binding and harmonised procedures that directly affect the operations of shipowners, logistics operators, terminals, insurers and public authorities. The regulation addresses the need for navigational safety, environmental protection and information transparency, strengthening global coordination in the management of container loss incidents.
The core regulatory element is the introduction of a requirement for immediate notification whenever a container is lost at sea or sighted adrift. Primary responsibility lies with the master of the vessel involved, who must report the event without delay to nearby ships, the nearest coastal State and the flag State. If the vessel is unable to make the report, the obligation passes to the shipping company, as provided for under the ISM safety management system. The scope of application is global and covers all ships carrying one or more containers, regardless of flag or trading area.
For logistics operators, the relevance of the rule extends well beyond the purely maritime dimension. Mandatory reporting introduces a new level of traceability for cargo-related incidents, with direct implications for supply chain management, contractual relationships and insurance cover. The notification must include precise information on the identity of the ship, the geographical position of the event, the date and time in UTC, the number of containers lost and their physical and cargo characteristics, including the presence of dangerous goods with the relevant UN numbers.
Of particular operational interest is the provision for a phased reporting process. The regulation recognises that, in the immediate aftermath of an incident, a complete information picture may not always be available. An initial report with partial data is therefore permitted, followed by subsequent updates until the submission of a final report based on a thorough inspection of the vessel and a verified count of the containers actually lost. This progressive approach has concrete implications for the document management of logistics operators, who must be able to support shipping companies in collecting, verifying and transmitting information throughout the supply chain.
From an information systems perspective, standardisation represents a key step. In November 2025 the IMO approved circular CCC.1/Circ.7, which provides a uniform template for reporting container loss events. Pending the full development of a dedicated module within the GISIS system, flag States are invited to use this template to ensure global consistency and data comparability. For logistics operators, this implies aligning their information flows and, in many cases, upgrading internal digital systems to interface efficiently with shipowners, insurers and authorities.
The rationale behind the regulation becomes clear when examining data on container losses. According to World Shipping Council statistics, the number of containers lost at sea has fluctuated sharply over the past fifteen years, with significant peaks in 2013 and in the 2020–2021 period, coinciding with exceptional events and critical operating conditions. After a historic low of 221 containers in 2023, 2024 saw a rise to 576 units, still well below the ten-year average of 1,274 containers per year. Set against more than 250 million containers moved globally, losses account for around 0.0002% of the total, but each individual incident can have significant consequences in terms of safety, environmental impact and costs.
For logistics operators, the case of the Cape of Good Hope is particularly significant. In 2024 around 200 containers were lost in that area, accounting for approximately 35% of the global annual total. This concentration has been linked to the sharp increase in traffic along the African route, which grew by 191% compared with 2023 due to the Red Sea crisis and diversions caused by Houthi attacks. Longer routes, exposure to harsher metocean conditions and increased sailing times have had direct effects on vessel stability and cargo integrity, with knock-on impacts on delivery reliability and overall logistics costs.
From an environmental standpoint, container loss is no longer viewed as an event confined to navigation. Recent examples of coastal contamination, such as the December 2025 incident in the Solent in the United Kingdom, show how container contents can disperse rapidly, generating plastic waste and microplastics with lasting impacts on coastal ecosystems. For logistics, this translates into heightened regulatory scrutiny across the entire chain, from proper cargo packaging and flow traceability to the allocation of responsibility in cases of environmental damage.
The new regulation also fits into a broader context of strengthened cargo safety rules. On 1 July 2025, new unified requirements from the International Association of Classification Societies on container securing devices and systems entered into force, applicable to newly built ships. These are complemented by industry initiatives such as the TopTier project, which systematically analysed the causes of losses, identifying critical factors including extreme weather, parametric rolling, improper stowage and misdeclared weight. For logistics operators, these elements reinforce the central importance of accurate cargo data and high-quality stowage operations, even when such activities take place ashore or under the responsibility of third parties.
From an economic and insurance perspective, container loss generates costs that go far beyond the value of the goods themselves. Total losses are estimated at up to 370 billion dollars globally, taking into account recovery operations, environmental clean-up, litigation and operational disruption. For integrated logistics, the reporting obligation brings greater transparency that can facilitate claims management, but at the same time increases reputational exposure and the need to demonstrate procedural compliance throughout the entire chain of responsibility.
Mara Gambetta
