The aim of the project is to suggest solutions to the problems raised by the loss of containers at sea in terms of maritime safety in the Gulf of Gascony.To improve awareness of the problem and the ability for partners from the entire zone concerned to provide solutions, this project, based on experience acquired in the joint fight against the trans-national pollution from the Prestige, intends to propose a common solution by pooling expertise and building on experience from one of the projects particular themes and by mustering up external skills.The project aims to improve their ability to react to maritime safety risks generated by the loss of containers at sea, and also to act as a strong basis for putting forward proposals to international organisations: EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) and the IMO (International Maritime Organization). Achievements: Action 1: Analysis of past accidents and assessment of risks ✔ Putting together a knowledge summary (incidents, circumstances, cargo involved, what happened to the containers etc.) ✔ Organising a workshop to collect experience and expertise from everyone involved in the maritime container transport chain ✔ Establishing a list of past accidents (150 accidents involving the loss of 1251 containers overboard have been identified, including 90 accidents and 1,072 containers in the French zone, 72 accidents and 306 containers in the Spanish zone) with analysis of the causes, consequences and responses ✔ Using the data to make risk assessments ✔ Proposing solutions to improve the situation Action 2: Analysis of containers' behaviour in the sea (buoyancy and drift) ✔ Increasing knowledge about the simulation of drift and the marking and tracking of containers using drifting buoys equipped with GPS and tracked by satellite alone or by satellite and onboard receiver ✔ Comparing the results provided by drift forecast models used by the French and Spanish authorities with reality Action 3: Methods of recovering containers ✔ Defining procedures for recovering containers from the sea, literature and practical review of the legal framework for loss of cargo at sea ✔ Identifying, acquiring and testing specific equipment ✔ Experimenting with methods for installing recovery rigs: development and heavy testing at sea (the "Lostcont 2008" maritime exercise) Action 4: Container storage ashore and management ✔ Analysing the technical, legal, financial and safety issues in storing recovered containers on land ✔ Designing and producing specific port facilities for receiving and storing dangerous cargo recovered from the sea Action 5: Leading and coordinating the project and disseminating the results ✔ Creating a website: http://www.cedre.fr/lostcont/. ✔ "Lostcont" film, September 2008 ✔ Television and radio programmes ✔ Workshop to exchange experience (September 2008)