Marine pollution isn’t just oil spills and gas emissions. In fact, in the case of the MV Zim Kingston cargo spill, this kind of marine pollution included coolers, unicorn floaties, bike helmets, urinal mats, and other odds and ends that fell from the ship in transit, littering Canadian waterways and shorelines.
Below, we’ll dive deeper into this marine pollution incident and how it continues to negatively impact the environment.
The Incident
On October 21, 2021, the MV Zim Kingston cargo ship en route from South Korea to Vancouver hit bad weather off the coast of Vancouver Island. During the course of the storm, 109 cargo containers—two of which contained hazardous chemicals—fell overboard into the ocean.
However, once the ship reached the Juan de FuStrait’s calmer waters, it wasn’t out of harm’s way. Because the cargo ship was transporting loads of a hazardous (and extremely flammable) chemical called potassium amyl xanthate. Because of that the jostled cargo load then caught fire. The explosion destroyed at least ten cargo containers, burning the contents and spewing them into the ocean, further polluting the surrounding waterways.
The Impact
An Environmental Unit (EU) was established to assess the situation. It monitored the local air and water quality while assessing the ecological and toxicological impacts of the incident.
Meanwhile, it didn’t take long for the runaway cargo containers to reach nearby shores. As inflatable unicorns and more than 70 refrigerators soon scattered the beaches along the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Then came the coolers, bike helmets, baby oil, running shoes, cologne, and yes, even urinal mats. British Columbian beaches were covered not only in random consumer goods but also in the plastic and styrofoam packaging that came along with them.
The Aftermath
Even a year after the cargo spill, beachcombers continued to find the washed-up debris on Canadian beaches. And sadly, they expect to deal with the marine pollution for years to come. What’s more, because only four of the 109 containers were ever recovered, we could someday see the remnants of the missing cargo wash up in various parts of the world.
While quirky cargo spills like these may seem harmless, the environmental impact of marine pollution is anything but. Any kind of cargo spill is dangerous and hazardous to the environment and must be taken seriously. Find out how Falvey Vessel Pollution mitigates pollution when it occurs.
Other Cargo Pollution Incidents
More remarkable cargo pollution events scar the industry and demonstrate why coverage is essential. See how a cargo pollution of shoes coming ashore prompted groups around the world to reassess their insurance coverage. One of our most beloved Legos toys were part of a cargo pollution incident off of the coat of the United Kingdom. One of the most famous incident of cargo pollution was a collection of rubber ducks that made its away from Asia to Alaska. Lastly, see how a Doritos spill shook up the industry as well, capping off such an odd series of spill events observed in the industry.
