The firefight aboard the Maersk Frankfurt is stretching into a third day. The Indian Coast Guard reports its assets are continuing to assist the vessel which is stopped approximately 6.5 nautical miles south of Karwar, India in the Arabian Sea and approximately 100 nautical miles north of Goa.
Maersk in a brief statement confirmed that one seafarer from the Philippines had been killed. They are reporting the vessel remains stable while the firefight continues. Unconfirmed reports in the Indian media attributed to the Ministry of Shipping said that the fire was started by an electrical short circuit and the crew called for assistance late on Friday, July 19, when they were unable to suppress the fire. The Panama Maritime Authority, flag state for the containership, is saying an explosion caused the fire without comment on the cause of the explosion.
After more than 12 hours of firefighting the Indian Coast Guard reported on Saturday, July 20, progress while also saying the fire had not spread to other parts of the 836-foot (255-meter) long vessel, but later reported that the fire midship had reignited. Additional assets were deployed including an Indian helicopter that dropped 150 kg dry chemical powder bags of fire suppressant in an attempt to control the blaze.
The Indian Coast Guard reported on Sunday on the third day of the effort that the fire had again been suppressed. On Saturday they said the fire in the forward part of the vessel had been suppressed, but heavy smoke continued. Two Indian Coast Guard vessels remain alongside spraying the containers to cool the area.
@IndiaCoastGuard continues its robust response to the fire onboard MV #MaerskFrankfurt. The fire in the forepart has been suppressed, but heavy smoke persists and has reignited midship. #ICG ships Sachet, Sujeet and Samrat are ongoing with fire-fighting operations. Additionally,… pic.twitter.com/ZXx2E1fYRP
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 20, 2024
Further updates on #MaerskFrankfurt fire:@IndiaCoastGuard Ships Sujeet, Sachet and Samrat have been fighting the fire for over 12 hours, preventing its spread. As of 0700 hrs, 20 Jul, the vessel is 6.5 NM south of #Karwar, #ICG Dornier aircraft Ex #Goa is conducting aerial… pic.twitter.com/nevStJvjpa
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 20, 2024
The Maersk Frankfurt was delivered in May 2024 from Imabari Shipbuilding to owners in Japan. The vessel is 76,500 dwt and was sailing from Mundra in northern India to Sri Lanka. The vessel has a crew of 21 aboard but the Indian Coast Guard has reported an evacuation was not required. The containership is operating under charter to Maersk.
The vessel has a capacity for 5,920 TEU although photos show the vessel is less than fully loaded. Reports are that the manifest reflects that the vessel is carrying dangerous cargo, but there have been no indications yet as to what types of cargo are aboard. Media stories are saying that there have been several explosions coming from the area of the fire.
(Indian Coast Guard)
Container fires continue to be one of the most persistent problems for the industry. Trade groups have consistently warned of the dangers of improperly packed or stowed materials. Last week, the Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative (CFLII), led by the SafetyTech Accelerator, reported it was launching evaluations of three early-stage fire detection technologies that could be potentially deployed on containerships. The initiative was launched last year and includes Lloyd’s Register, Evergreen, Ocean Network Express (ONE), Seaspan, Offen Group, UK P&I, and TT Club.
