Container Ship Burns in Hamburg Harbor

[Brief] A major fire broke out in an after hold of the container ship CCNI Arauco at Hamburg’s Burchardkai terminal on Thursday.

A fire department spokesman said that over 100 emergency services personnel, four fire engines and two fire boats were on site to fight the blaze as of Thursday afternoon. 

Early efforts focused on cooling the hull to prevent structural damage. An initial attempt to smother the fire with CO2 was not effective, and firefighting operations are expected to continue through the night. The depth of the fire’s location within the hold has added complexity to the response. 

Authorities believe that the blaze was started by welding work in the hold, which led to the spread of a fire belowdecks. Three workers suffered minor injuries in the fire and were taken to a hospital. The ship's crew has been evacuated. 

The containers affected do not carry dangerous goods, but city officials asked residents in nearby areas to keep their windows closed due to the smoke from the blaze. 

The 9,000 TEU CCNI Arauco was built in 2015 for NSC Holding; CCNI is now a subsidiary of Hamburg Sud. 

The Arauco is across the waterway from the berth of the Hanjin Europe at the Eurogate terminal. The Europe is stationary, like much of the rest of Hanjin’s fleet, and Eurogate has declined German press inquiries regarding the vessel’s disposition.