Efforts to suppress the blaze on a Maersk vessel sailing from India’s Mundra port to Colombo have entered their third day
Indian Coast Guard ships and helicopters have been battling a fire aboard the Maersk Frankfurt container ship off the southwest of India for around three days. One seafarer on the vessel has died in the blaze.
The fire reportedly broke out due to a short circuit while the ship was ferrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) from Mundra in India’s Gujarat state to Colombo in Sri Lanka on Friday.
Initially, the crew of the Panama-flagged container ship tried to extinguish the flames on their own but were unsuccessful. The Indian Navy was subsequently alerted and deployed the Coast Guard to tackle the fire as it spread.
By Sunday, the Indian Coast Guard had deployed five vessels – Samrat, Sujeet, Sachet, Varaha, and Samudra Prahari – to control the blaze.
#ICG OP to make safe MV #MaerskFrankfurt enters day 03 ! @IndiaCoastGuard Ship Varaha has joined #firefighting efforts earlier today. 04 #OPV 01 #Dornier and 01 #ALH engaged in OP ensuring protection of the marine environment, #Safety of the vessel and her crew! Dedicated… pic.twitter.com/To3AQH3cX2
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 21, 2024
On Sunday, Maersk announced that one crew member had been killed in the fire. However, it said the overall situation on board was “reportedly stable.” The rest of the crew are “safe and accounted for,” the company said, adding that firefighting efforts were underway with help from the Indian Coast Guard.
The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) stated that the ship’s operator had reported a body in the lashing bridge, but the flames had made it impossible to access this area.
According to an official from the Indian Coast Guard cited by the Times of India, although the fire is under control, it is “not fully extinguished.” They estimated that it may take another day or two to completely put out the fire.
@IndiaCoastGuard continues firefighting efforts on MV Maersk Frankfurt. #ICG helicopters are now deployed, with an ALH air-dropping 150 kg of Dry Chemical Powder to control the blaze. Visuals provide insights into the operation. #ICG #MaritimeSafety #Firefighting #MaerskFrankfurt… pic.twitter.com/20rqeJaqW1
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 20, 2024
@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
“We have control over the fire, but due to the containers and based on past experiences, it typically takes three to four days to fully extinguish. Even after that, the area remains heated, so we need to keep monitoring it,” said Manoj Bhatia, deputy inspector general of the Indian Coast Guard in Goa.
Indian officials also noted, citing the crew, that the ship cannot be anchored as its front area is inaccessible due to melting containers. Firefighting efforts have been further complicated by adverse weather conditions and heavy rain, according to media reports.
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