Report : Maersk container ship suffers major fire off India.
A major fire broke out on Friday aboard the MV Maersk Frankfurt, a brand new containership chartered by Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, while sailing off the coast of India. The incident, which occurred roughly 50 nautical miles (93 kilometers) southwest of Karwar, Karnataka, sent plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and sparked a multi-agency response to contain the blaze and ensure crew safety.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) received a distress call from the Maersk Frankfurt around 2:30 pm IST on Friday, reporting a significant fire onboard. The ICG immediately dispatched its Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and three ships – Sachet, Sujeet, and Samrat – to the scene. Dramatic visuals captured by the ICG showed flames engulfing containers stacked on the vessel’s forward deck.
“We can confirm that a fire was reported onboard one of our time chartered vessels, Maersk Frankfurt, around 1430 IST while the vessel was sailing from Mundra to Colombo,” Maersk said in a statement. “Firefighting is underway with support from the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel is in stable condition.”
The Maersk Frankfurt, a 5,920 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity vessel, was delivered just last month from Japanese shipbuilder Imabari Shipbuilding. According to Clarksons data, the ship is owned by Japanese shipping company Tokei Kaiun and managed by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Hong Kong) Ltd. While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Maersk emphasized that crew safety was their top priority.
“At the moment, we are unable to confirm the extent of the fire’s impact on the chartered vessel, Maersk Frankfurt,” the company added. “We are in constant touch with the vessel owner and ship managers. The safety of the crew remains the top priority at this moment.”
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The Indian Navy also joined the firefighting efforts, deploying a Boeing P8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft to provide aerial surveillance and support. Fortunately, all 23 crew members were reportedly evacuated safely before the fire escalated. Two crew members received first aid onboard a nearby assisting vessel, the ALS Ceres.
The incident has the potential to disrupt global supply chains, as the Maersk Frankfurt was likely carrying a significant amount of cargo between India and Sri Lanka. The extent of the damage to the vessel and its cargo remains to be ascertained.
Maersk, the world’s second-largest container line, has assured it is working closely with all relevant authorities to extinguish the fire and manage the aftermath. The company is also in the process of informing the families of the crew members.
Conclusion
The fire aboard the Maersk Frankfurt serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with maritime transportation. While the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, this incident underscores the importance of stringent safety protocols and rapid response mechanisms in place to ensure crew safety and minimize environmental damage during such emergencies. The coming days will be crucial in understanding the full impact of the fire on the vessel, its cargo, and the timeline for its potential salvage.
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