Key tips for transferring plastic pellets in containers


Steamship Mutual P&I Club has provided guidance on the risks associated with the carriage of plastic pellets in containers and provides practical measures to prevent spillage and protect the marine environment.


UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS OF PLASTIC PELLETS


According to the Club, in recent years, several high- profile incidents have occurred, such as the Trans Carrier in 2020 and the XPress Pearl in 2021, where containers have fallen overboard and resulted in the release of plastic pellets into seas and oceans with subsequent harm to the marine environment.


While the carriage of plastic pellets in shipping containers is a secure means of shipment, the environmental concern arises when these containers are lost overboard. Once plastic pellets are released, their physical properties of being small and light allow them to travel extensive distances from the initial release location.


These incidents have given rise to concerns within the shipping industry about not only the risks plastic pellets pose to marine ecosystems, but also about the resulting multi-million-dollar clean-up and recovery operations, which can span many months or even years.


These costs include shoreline recovery, wildlife rehabilitation and long-term monitoring, and achieving complete recovery is often impossible.


The inclusion of plastic nurdles in the IMDG Code is being considered in part due to the escalating cost of recovery, because mandatory packaging, labelling, and stowage requirements are considered essential in reducing the frequency and severity of such incidents.


IMO GUIDANCE AND REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS


Shipping operations are inherently unpredictable and involve many stakeholders within the supply chain, all of which increases the likelihood of errors.


While best practices aim to mitigate against the known risks, incidents can occur due to various causation factors.


Where an incident results in containers carrying plastic pellets being lost overboard, spillage into the sea is likely, either because the containers sustain damage or because packaging integrity has been compromised through damage or by seawater.


Pending the adoption of future mandatory measures for the carriage of plastic pellets in freight containers, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has published (MEPC.1/Circ.909 – Recommendations for the Carriage of Plastic Pellets by Sea in Freight Containers) on packaging, cargo information and stowage of plastic pellets in freight containers to avoid marine environmental damage.


Whilst these IMO guidelines are voluntary and aim to reduce the likelihood of plastic pellets spillage, the Club recommends that operators abide by these international Recommendations.


GENERAL CAUSATION


There are various factors that could contribute to the loss of containers from ships, resulting in marine environmental damage caused by plastic pellets. These factors may include:


1 118 | ISSUE 115 | MAR 2026 | THE REPORT Risks linked to shore-based handling


- The use of damaged or weakened containers for shipment can result in structural collapse and trigger the failure of entire stacks and adjacent stacks.


- Inadequate or damaged packaging of plastic pellet shipments.


- Cargo within containers is not properly secured, causing cargo to shift and potential container damage.


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