Firefighters Board Maersk Containership Still Burning After A Week Off Africa

External firefighting crews have boarded the containership Marie Maersk and are working with the vessel’s crew to fight a fire that has been burning for a week.

The giant containership is currently holding position off the coast of southern Liberia, according to the company’s latest update. Maersk confirmed that the fire is contained but not completely extinguished. The vessel’s port of refuge is still being decided.

The incident began on August 13 when the crew detected smoke coming from containers while the vessel was sailing from Rotterdam, heading for Malaysia and China.

The ship was moved closer to the Liberian coast to allow shoreside assistance. Tugs and an offshore support vessel carrying firefighting equipment reached the Marie Maersk, and by the weekend, the company said the spread of the fire had been stopped.

On Tuesday, external firefighting teams boarded the ship and joined the crew in actively tackling the blaze. Maersk’s crisis response team remains in constant contact with the crew as the operation continues.

The company has not disclosed how many containers or cargo bays are affected. The Marie Maersk, a 19,076 TEU containership, is among the largest in Maersk’s fleet.

Maersk reported that all crew members are safe and that the vessel remains stable, with machinery, steering, and navigational systems fully operational. The Danish-flagged ship, built in 2013, measures 399 meters in length and 59 meters in width, with a deadweight of 213,971 tons.

Only a limited number of ports along the West African coast are capable of handling vessels of this size, which adds complexity to the decision on where to bring the ship. The Marie Maersk’s current position also lies along a busy route, as many vessels are diverting around Africa to avoid the Red Sea.

Reference: shippingwatch

Source: Maritime Shipping News