Boaters in New South Wales have been warned to be on the lookout for more than 80 shipping containers that came loose from a vessel off Newcastle.
The Liberian-registered YM Efficiency was making its way from Taiwan to Sydney on Thursday night when it encountered rough seas.
It lost 83 containers overboard and a further 30 were badly damaged.
The ship, operated by the Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, spent Friday night at sea off Sydney ahead of an expected assessment on Saturday morning.
Roads and Maritime Services warned boaters over marine radio to be aware of the potential hazards and said two containers were spotted about 100 metres off Fingal Head and Boondelbah Island, near Port Stephens.
A Yang Ming spokeswoman said there were no dangerous goods or marine contaminants inside.
"There is no security concern about the condition of the vessel," she said in a statement to AAP.
The company is informing customers and discussing the next steps with its insurer.
