News / Crew battles fire aboard Maersk box ship

Crew aboard the Marie Maersk have spent the past 24 hours attempting to douse flames after yet another fire broke out aboard a containership, this on the same day that Sri Lanka rejected port of refuge status to the fire-stricken Wan Hai 503.

Details of the fire aboard the Marie Maersk remain sketchy, but Marine Traffic locates the 18,2500 teu, Malaysia-bound vessel close to the Liberian coast, with Reuters reporting that all crew are safe, although the extent of damage to the containers remains unknown.

The carrier said  that, on Wednesday morning ‘the crew detected smoke coming from containers onboard the vessel en route from Rotterdam, The Netherlands to Tanjung Pelepas”.

A spokesperson told Trade Winds: “The vessel is reportedly in stable condition, with all machinery, steering and navigational equipment fully operational. The crew is following all necessary safety and firefighting procedures.”

CEO of Vespucci Maritime Lars Jensen warned shippers concerned to “be mindful of possible export schedule changes, schedule delays or re-routings of cargo utilising alternative Gemini departures”.

Earlier today, The Loadstar reported that the fire-stricken box ship Wan Hai 503 was seeking an alternative ‘port of refuge’ after Sri Lanka joined India in denying entry to the vessel, following the fire which broke out on the vessel in June.

Explosions erupted on the Singapore-flagged vessel close to the coast of Kerala in southern India, sparking a blaze that burned for almost two months, causing the loss of four sailors, presumed dead.

An update this morning noted the vessel was 130 nm from the Indian coast and Hapag-Lloyd said: “Discussions are under way to determine the most effective towing arrangements to reduce risks and minimise transit time. Possible destinations are still being evaluated.”

Recent years have seen a spike in reported ship fires, with notable examples on box ships including the Maersk Frankfurt off the Indian coast last July, the MSC Capetown III at Colombo and YM Mobility at Ningbo a month later.