To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many containers were lost overboard from container ships in UK coastal waters in each of the last 10 years. (180609)

In the period of time specified the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has operated two databases to record incidents, including recording where containers are lost overboard. There is no separate database to record the loss of containers.

The MCA relies on ships reporting loss of containers in accordance with national and European legislation.

To give a specific number would require a manual interrogation of the incident recording system and that would incur disproportionate costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what processes are in place to report losses of shipping containers at sea. (180612)

The vessel traffic monitoring directive covers the reporting of hazardous incidents including the loss of containers at sea. Any vessel losing containers is obliged to report the loss to Her Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG) in the UK. Reports of containers lost will be captured in the Consolidated European Reporting System (CERS).

Vessels encountering lost containers at sea are obliged under the Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2002 to report hazardous incidents to HMCG in the UK.