Two Crew Members Seriously Injured In Explosion On Tanker At Ireland’s Second Largest Port

An explosion aboard a ship docked at Shannon Foynes Port in County Limerick, Ireland, on Tuesday evening, June 24, left two crew members seriously injured.

The incident happened at around 6:30 p.m. on the chemical tanker Bow Hercules, a Norwegian-registered vessel operated by Odfjell Tankers. The ship had arrived earlier in the day from Purfleet, near the UK’s Tilbury Port.

The explosion, which was caused by a gas cylinder, took place while the crew was performing routine maintenance near the ship’s lifeboat area.

The two injured men, aged in their 40s and 60s and both from the Philippines, were believed to be working close to where the blast occurred.

Emergency services, including gardaí (Irish police), HSE paramedics, fire and rescue teams, and a Cork-based air ambulance, quickly responded to the scene.

One of the men was transported by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, while the other, who was more seriously injured, was airlifted to Cork University Hospital.

Local reports said that emergency responders were seen in and around the Bow Hercules, although the vessel itself showed no signs of visible distress in the water.

The Cork Air Ambulance, part of the HSE’s National Ambulance Service, landed at the port at approximately 8:15 p.m. and departed shortly after with one of the injured crew members.

Shannon Foynes Port Company confirmed the incident and said the situation on board had been made safe. Operations at the port were temporarily suspended on Tuesday night but were expected to resume once safety checks were completed.

In their statement, the port company also stated that investigations into the cause of the explosion were underway and being handled by the relevant authorities.

Initial details about the incident were unclear, and a Garda spokeswoman said police were at the scene assisting medical responders and dealing with the injuries.

The Bow Hercules is a chemical and oil tanker built in 2017, measuring 183 meters in length with a deadweight of 40,847 tonnes. It remained docked at the port as safety inspections and formal investigations continued.

Shannon Foynes is Ireland’s largest port for bulk and breakbulk cargo. The serious nature of the emergency response led to a temporary halt in port activities, but officials confirmed that the port would resume operations later the same evening.

References: BBC, irishtimes

Source: Maritime Shipping News