Coal Fire Doused on Bulker Loading in India

Fire services responded quickly to reports of smoke billowing from a bulker that was loading in the Paradip, India, port over the weekend. They were able to successfully douse the fire without injuries to the crew, but it again raised questions about the handling of the dangerous cargo.

The Greek-owned bulker Eco Colonel, registered in Liberia, had arrived at Paradip on November 27. Over the weekend, the vessel was loading a cargo of nearly 30,000 metric tons of coal for shipment in India. According to the local media reports, smoke was observed coming from one of the vessel’s holds as the coal was being loaded by conveyor belt.

As the smoke grew thicker and more intense, the decision was made to move the vessel, which is 82,000 dwt and 229 meters (751 feet), to another berth within the port to gain better access to the hold. Fire crews began offloading and watering the coal. Port operations were also suspended.

The Paradip Fire Department at the port said that after about two hours, it believed the fire had been contained. They said it was safe to reopen the port. There was minor damage reported to both the vessel and the coal loading conveyor belt. 

The Eco Colonel, which was built in 2012, remains at the port as the investigation is ongoing. The authorities are thankful that a port worker quickly alerted the teams to the potential danger and that it could be controlled quickly. They have yet to confirm what caused the fire.

Media reports cite the high flammability of the coal and the danger of spontaneous combustion. Port officials are reportedly looking at the watering of the coal and whether there had been insufficient amounts of water sprayed before the loading. A lack of ventilation in the hold or in the stockpile could also have contributed to the fire.

The dangers of handling and shipping coal were demonstrated in August at the Port of Baltimore when an explosion tore a 30-ton hatch cover off a bulker. The vessel W Sapphire had completed loading and just departed the terminal when a massive explosion shook the ship, followed by a small fire. The force of the explosion hurled a portion of the number two hatch cover into the air and over the side of the ship. Luckily, no one was injured, and the local fire departments and Coast Guard were quickly able to stabilize the situation.