Most ships that call in Halifax go about their business without much notice. Once they leave here little is heard of them again unless they return on another voyage. Newsworthy events like shipwrecks and fires are rare, thankfully, and unless the ship gets into some kind of similiar trouble, it may live out its lifespan without much notice.
A recent exception to this kind of anonymity is the CMA CGM Panama which is arriving in Halifax April 15 on the Ocean Alliance service called Columbus JAX. The ship has been a regular in the route, and has been here before, including in this December 14, 2021 photo:
Its brief brush with the news took place on April 1-2, 2023 when the ship arrived at the Suez Canal south security checkpoint. It reported that there were four stowaways on board. The four had found their way aboard the ship at Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 24, and were disguised as crew members.
Stowaways are not welcome aboard ships, even if they are peaceful (and they aren't always), as they are a burden on the shipowner and may cause the ship to be detained and fined. Shipowners are held responsible for them and their repatriation. Usually without documentation, they cannot be disembarked in most countries.
Fortunately for the CMA CGM Panama, its operators had another one of their ships in the vicinity, heading eastbound and a rendez-vous was arranged. The other ship, the Jackson Bay had time to secure a section of accommodation and the four were transferred to what amounted to a ship's brig.
Arrangements were made with Sri Lankan border authorities to meet the ship in international waters and on April 10 the men were handed over. Once on shore on April 11 they were then given into the custody of the police. An investigation is underway to find out how the men gained access to the Colombo port area, and if they had help.
CMA CGM Panama at 149,314 gt, 157,076 dwt, has a capacity of 14,885 TEU and was built in 2019 by Hyundai, Samho.
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