Fire Onboard Container Ship Forces Crew To Abandon It In Red Sea

The crew of a Chinese-owned container ship, the ASL Bauhinia, abandoned the vessel in the Red Sea after a fire broke out on January 28, 2025.

The cause of the fire is unclear but it is believed to be a container fire rather than an attack by the Houthi rebels, who have promised to maintain the Gaza ceasefire.

The ASL Bauhinia, a 24,727 dwt containership, was built in China in 2022. It is owned by Asean Sea Lines, a Shanghai-based regional carrier. The vessel entered service in October 2022 as the company’s first 1,900 TEU vessel. It is registered in Hong Kong and classed by Japan’s ClassNK.

The ship departed from the Jebel Ali commercial terminal in Dubai on January 22, bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The vessel was scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia and then proceed to Aqaba, Jordan, as part of its partnership with another Chinese regional carrier, CU Lines. Asean Sea Lines has been operating the ship since its launch in 2011.

The fire was first reported around midnight, and the crew later reported that they were abandoning the ship.

The crew was rescued by another vessel, and there were no reports of injuries or casualties. According to maritime sources, the ship’s current position is about 140 miles off the coast of Hodeida, Yemen, and it is still burning and drifting.

Shipping industry officials have said that the cargo aboard the vessel is “dangerous,” although no further details have been provided.

The ultimate owner of the ASL Bauhinia, CSSC Hong Kong Shipping Co. Ltd., could not be reached for comment.

The Houthi rebels, who control parts of Yemen, have been actively targeting ships passing through the Red Sea since November 2023.

However, the group announced earlier this month that they would limit their attacks to Israel-linked ships only, if the Gaza ceasefire is fully implemented.

Despite this, commercial ship owners, insurers, and retailers remain cautious, and many vessels continue to avoid the region.

References: Reuters, AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News