​On August 11, 2022, about 1834 local time, the containership Maunalei was transiting the North Pacific Ocean, about 245 miles northwest of the entrance to the Columbia River, en route to Portland, Oregon, when the crew intentionally shut down the main engine due to problems in the controllable pitch propeller system, resulting in a loss of propulsion. The vessel’s controllable pitch propeller system may have lost up to 1,632 gallons of hydraulic oil. There were no injuries reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $3.03 million.

​We determined that the probable cause of the loss of propulsion on the containership Maunalei was a crack developing in a controllable pitch propeller blade base and progressing into a fracture due to high cycle fatigue as a result of the blade not meeting manufacturer design specifications.​