Tanker Explodes Off Indian Coast After Methanol Discharge, 21 Crew Rescued

A Hong Kong-flagged product tanker, MV Fulda, suffered an explosion off the coast of Kandla, Gujarat, on Sunday, shortly after offloading methanol.

Following the blast, the Indian Coast Guard, Deendayal Port Authority, and pollution control agencies launched a large-scale emergency response. All 21 crewmembers were safely evacuated.

The explosion took place at around 1:05 PM IST, about two hours after the Fulda departed from Oil Jetty No. 2 at Deendayal Port. The 19,477 dwt tanker had just completed discharging a methanol cargo and was heading toward Port Sohar in Oman.

According to India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), the vessel was 26 years old, built in 1999, and owned and managed by Fulda Industrial, a shipping company based in Hong Kong.

The Fulda had 21 crew members onboard, including 11 Chinese nationals, two from Bangladesh, one from Indonesia, and seven from Myanmar.

The first report about the explosion came from a nearby 32,000 dwt bulk carrier Team Focus (built 2011), which was at anchorage close to the tanker. The vessel developed a list of 22 degrees to starboard, later shifting to port as the crew attempted corrective actions.

Video Credits: Bojan Lepic/YouTube

No fire or smoke was seen coming from the ship, but the forward part of the deck had been heavily damaged by the blast. Indian authorities confirmed that a large section of the deck had been ripped open.

The ship’s master confirmed that the hull remained intact and there was no underwater damage or water ingress.

At 7:00 PM IST, the Fulda’s captain formally requested an emergency evacuation. The tug Orchid Star, dispatched from Kandla, carried out the operation and successfully evacuated all crew members. They were brought back safely to the port.

Authorities believe the explosion was caused during gas-freeing operations. This process involves ventilating cargo tanks of any remaining flammable gases after unloading to prepare them for inspection, maintenance, or the next cargo.

Initial findings suggest there may have been improper handling of vapors and insufficient flushing and purging of the tanks. These lapses likely allowed a flammable vapor-air mixture to build up, which might have been ignited by static electricity due to poor bonding or equipment issues.

The tanker had more than 384 metric tons of fuel onboard at the time of the incident. Although no oil spill has been reported, a pollution prevention operation was activated.

The pollution control vessel Samudra Pavak was deployed alongside Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS C-429 and two other interceptor boats. These vessels remain at the site, continuously monitoring the situation.

Video Credits: The Sentinel/YouTube

The Fulda is still afloat and stable at its current location. The DGS has instructed the vessel’s owners and managers to appoint a salvage company and provide updates to Indian authorities. The ship’s Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurer has also been asked to submit local contact information.

Japanese classification society ClassNK has been assigned to assess the ship’s condition and submit a report on its stability to the relevant authorities and salvors. There are no known port state control detentions on record for the Fulda. However, an inspection in April at the port of Shanghai had noted issues related to crew rest records, enclosed space entry and rescue drills, and lifeboat embarkation procedures.

Om Prakash Dadlani, Public Relations Officer of Deendayal Port Authority, confirmed that the port responded quickly and that the rescue team safely evacuated all crew members. He said the Maritime Response Coordination Committee informed the Indian Coast Guard, which immediately reached the scene to assist.

This incident follows a series of recent emergencies in the region. On June 29, the Indian Navy responded to a fire on the Palau-flagged MT Yi Cheng 6 in the North Arabian Sea. The INS Tabar conducted a high-risk firefighting operation, rescuing 14 Indian crew members.

The Indian Navy also responded to another incident earlier in June, when the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 caught fire after an explosion near the coast of Kerala, while en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva.

As of now, the Fulda remains under observation off the coast of Kandla, and the investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing. All vessels in the area have been asked to maintain a safe distance due to possible fire or pollution hazards.

References: timesofoman, thehindubusinessline

Source: Maritime Shipping News