External Fire Teams Reach Marie Maersk Off Africa

 

The container fire that started a week ago aboard the Marie Maersk is continuing to burn, according to the latest update from the company. Additional resources have been brought to the vessel, which is holding off the coast of Africa, and they believe the fire is contained while plans are being developed for the ship.

The crew reported smoke coming from containers on the morning of August 13 as the vessel was sailing from Rotterdam bound for Malaysia and China. At the time, they said the vessel was moved toward the coast near Liberia so that shoreside resources could aid the crew. Tugs and an OSV arrived, bringing firefighting equipment to the vessel, and over the weekend, Maersk said the crew had been successful in stopping the spread of the fire.

“The external firefighter crew is on board Marie Maersk since yesterday (Tuesday) and actively fighting the fire alongside the Marie Maersk crew,” Maersk said in its latest update. “As reported, the fire has been contained but not suppressed completely, and a port of refuge is also still under contemplation.”

Maersk has not said the extent of the fire, such as the number of bays involved or the number of containers. The ship has a capacity for 19,000 TEU, although heading east toward Asia, the load could be smaller or include a significant number of empties.

The company reports it is “in close contact with all customers who have cargo on board.” It said it is, wherever possible and known, giving customers an indication whether their cargo was likely impacted by the fire or not.

At 213,971 dwt and 1,039 feet (399 meters) in length, the vessel is one of the largest in the Maersk fleet. A limited number of ports on the west coast of Africa are equipped to handle the largest containerships. The current reported position puts the vessel off southern Liberia. Multiple vessels, however, are also passing the location due to the number of ships diverting around Africa due to the closure of the Red Sea.

Maersk has reported that the crew is safe. The vessel, which was built in 2013 and is registered in Denmark, is said to be in stable condition, with all machinery, steering, and navigational equipment fully operational.