The Minister of Business, Morten Bødskov (Social Democrats), is urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to introduce stricter requirements for the construction and fastening of containers on cargo ships. This call to action comes following an incident just before Christmas, where a Maersk vessel lost 46 containers in the North Sea off the coast of Hanstholm. In a joint letter with ministers from Germany and the Netherlands to the IMO Secretary-General, Bødskov emphasizes the need for new regulations. “Our seabeds should not be container graveyards,” he states, highlighting the environmental and safety risks posed by lost containers. In addition to enhanced technical requirements for containers and ships, Bødskov believes that crews should receive better training in predicting and handling risky wave conditions.
Although there are no easy solutions, the minister is determined that changes must be made to prevent future accidents. The incident involving the Maersk vessel has already required extensive cleanup efforts, with refrigerators, compressors, and medical equipment washing ashore in the days that followed. Despite this, Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (Social Democrats) reassured at the time that there were no environmentally harmful materials involved.