Towards a Global Surveillance System for Lost Containers at Sea

Abstract

Every year, more than 1500 containers are lost around the world. These accidents are increasingly more common due to the boom of the shipping industry, presenting serious consequences for marine ecosystems and maritime navigation. This problem has alerted various international organisms to regulate these catastrophes, incorporating new regulations that will force cargo ships to report the loss of containers during its voyages. However, the lack of technological means that support compliance with this regulation may lead to these accidents continuing to affect the maritime sector. This article analyzes different electronic technologies for the prevention of collisions with floating containers, as well as their monitoring at a global level. The analysis carried out provides a glimpse of the possibility of developing a global monitoring system for containers lost at sea. This analysis compares both the opportunities and limitations of each of the proposed technologies, demonstrating how the current state-of-the-art technology has sufficient means to address this problem.