An oil pressure problem seems to have caused an engine failure on an AP Moller-Maersk boxship that subsequently lost 260 containers overboard off Japan.

Sixty-five containers were also damaged on the deck of the 13,092-teu Maersk Eindhoven (built 2010), the Danish operator said

The vessel, owned by Minsheng Financial Leasing, suffered a loss of engine propulsion for three to four minutes while sailing 45 nautical miles (83 km) off northern Japan in heavy seas on 17 February.

The loss of manoeuvrability resulted in severe rolling.

Propulsion was quickly restored and the initial analysis indicates engine oil pressure triggered a safety feature, causing the engines to shut down, Maersk added.

"No malfunction or maintenance issues have been identified. The crew is safe and a complete investigation is ongoing," it added.

"The vessel has had no further incidents and is sailing in calm seas, returning to a North Asia port for inspection and repair. The port decision will be announced shortly."

Preliminary reports from the ship show slight damage, with minimal repairs required.

"We continue to take the situation very seriously," Maersk said.

The Denmark-flag vessel had left Xiamen, China, for Los Angeles on Maersk's weekly TP6 service between Asia and the US west coast.

Insurance cover is provided by Britannia Steamship. The ship has no port state control detentions on its record.

Fourth loss in three months

This is the fourth container loss incident in three months. A Mediterranean Shipping Co boxship lost 41 containers in the Pacific on 29 January. The 14,952-teu MSC Aries (built 2020) was sailing from Long Beach, California, to Ningbo in China.

That followed the loss of around 1,800 containers from Ocean Network Express' 14,026-teu ONE Apus (built 2019) in the North Pacific last November.

A further 750 containers were lost in the same area from the Maersk-controlled 13,092-teu Maersk Essen (built 2010) in January.

The ONE Apus and Maersk Essen incidents were blamed on the weather.