Famous Shipping Container Crashes

In 1992, a shipping container filled with 28,800 plastic rubber duckies and other bath toys, fell overboard from a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean southern of Alaska. The incident, now known as the "Friendly Floates spill," occurred during a storm, and the containers were released into the ocean, resulting in a significant spill. The toys began to wash ashore and drift across various ocean currents, showing up on the shores of Oregon, California, and even the UK! The ducks followed the path of the Global Ocean Conveyer Belt, allowing researchers to study oceanic patterns and the movement of the debris. The unexpected spread of these brightly colored toys sparked interest in marine pollution and the lasting impact of plastic waste in our oceans. The incident continues to serve as a poignant reminder of environmental concerns related to shipping and plastic pollution.