Indian Navy & Coast Guard Make Crucial Progress In Towing Burning Ship Away From Coast

Efforts to tow the fire-stricken container ship Wan Hai 503 away from the Kerala coast have entered a critical stage, with the Indian Coast Guard and Navy coordinating around the clock to prevent the vessel from drifting ashore.

The ship has been burning since June 9, following an explosion off the Kerala coast, and remains a floating hazard due to ongoing smoldering and poor weather conditions.

As of Friday, June 13, authorities reported major progress in the salvage operation. Despite heavy gray and black smoke still rising from the midsection of the vessel and hotspots continuing to burn below deck, the Indian Navy managed to place a salvage team onboard using a Seaking helicopter.

Three salvors were winched down onto the Singapore-flagged ship to establish a fresh towline, which was then connected to the commercial tug Ocean Warrior, hired by the salvage team.

This is the third towing attempt, as the previous two towlines had snapped. Before Ocean Warrior arrived, the Indian Coast Guard had tried using the smaller tug Water Lily, but it was unable to pull the ship due to insufficient bollard pull power.

Another tug, Triton Liberty, operating under Navy charter, was dispatched from Kochi to join the towing operation.

Initially located around 44 nautical miles off the coast, Wan Hai 503 has been drifting slowly and unpredictably. It was last observed about 30 to 38 nautical miles from the shoreline, moving at speeds of up to 1.8 knots.

As per the latest update, the fire is mostly under control but continues to burn deep inside the vessel’s midship section. Dense chemical fumes are still being released. With most of the cargo destroyed by fire, the ship has become lighter, which is causing it to drift faster. This, combined with building southwest winds ahead of a storm, is raising serious concerns among local authorities.

Major milestone in the ongoing
operation to suppress the fire onboard MV #WahHai503 and protect #MarineEnvironment !@IndiaCoastGuard ships undertaking FF Op enabled tow connect up of Salvage vessel in extremely challenging and daunting operation. @indiannavy #Seaking… pic.twitter.com/KTFJl6I5fx

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 13, 2025

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, quoted by local news outlet Manorama, said the situation was starting to look “scary,” especially as wind speeds were expected to rise to 50–60 mph over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard posted on X (formerly Twitter) that a “major milestone” had been achieved in the firefighting operation. It said Coast Guard ships supported the effort to shift the towline from their vessels to the salvage tug in “extremely challenging and daunting” conditions.

Fresh stocks of foam and dry chemical powder were sent out and pre-positioned both offshore and on land to support firefighting efforts. These are ready to be deployed at any time. Onshore, fire tenders have been placed at key coastal points, ambulances are on standby, and hospitals along the coast have been alerted to prepare for any emergency.

The Directorate General of Shipping said that while most of the fire is under control, some hotspots are still active. The ship is still releasing thick smoke and chemical fumes, and cooling efforts from the air are ongoing.

Authorities warned that if the ship comes within 10 to 15 kilometers of the coast, they will have only 7–8 hours to respond before it might run aground. Emergency plans have been activated, and local officials are monitoring the vessel’s position closely.

Even though the ship is being towed, officials remain alert because weather conditions could change quickly. The current drift is moving the ship away from Kochi for now, but a shift in wind or sea currents could push it back toward the shore. The area between Kochi and Alappuzha is at highest risk, and preparations are focused there.

References: Indian Coast Guard, The Hindu

Source: Maritime Shipping News