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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Storm batters container ship


Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

The Horizon Hunter tied up at Honolulu Harbor yesterday with several containers askew from a massive storm at sea.

RICHARD AMBO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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A Horizon Lines container ship sailed into Honolulu Harbor yesterday with a dozen or so containers askew on her deck, evidence of a storm that tossed six shipping containers overboard.

The Horizon Hunter was about 1,200 miles east of Hawai'i last week when a three-day storm hit, with 30-foot swells and winds up to 50 mph, the company said.

The 730-foot long vessel had been en route from Los Angeles to Guam.

The ship lost six containers, and several other containers stored above deck were damaged, the company said.

"Horizon Hunter encountered a massive Pacific storm lasting more than three days," the company said in a news release.

The peak of the storm was Thursday night, the company said.

Horizon Lines said that none of the ship's crew were injured and that there was no damage to the ship's hull.

Typically, cargo in transit is covered by insurance, according to Horizon Lines.

The company said the ship has been docked at Hawaii Stevedores Inc.'s terminal at Honolulu Harbor.

Hawaii Stevedores was working with the Coast Guard and state harbors officials to remove some of the damaged containers and protect against cargo leaks or spills, the firm said.

The ship is expected to resume its voyage to Guam in the next day or two, the company said.

Built in 2006, the Horizon Hunter has the cargo capacity to carry 2,824 shipping containers. The ship serves the Guam-to-West Coast route.