Fire Breaks Out On MSC Container Ship Following Explosion In Neva Bay

An explosion and subsequent fire disabled the MSC-operated container ship MSC Giada III as it was approaching St Petersburg in Russia’s Neva Bay, forcing emergency services to respond and the vessel to be towed to port.

The Liberia-flagged feeder ship, with a capacity of 2,732 teu, was sailing from Antwerp, Belgium, to St Petersburg when the explosion occurred on 4 February.

The blast started in the engine room and caused a fire that spread to the deck superstructure and accommodation area, according to vessel tracking data and regional response activity.

There were 22 crew members on board at the time of the incident. Initial reports indicated that no injuries were reported, and all crew were confirmed safe.

Media reports said the vessel was under the command of a Russian master, with several crew members believed to be from Myanmar.

Emergency assets were dispatched from the Port of St Petersburg, including the rescue vessel Spasatel Karev and the icebreaker Semyon Dezhnev.

Local media reported that firefighting teams worked for several hours before bringing the fire under control.

Authorities later stated that the ship’s hull was not damaged and that there were no reports of fuel leakage, reducing the risk of environmental impact.

After the fire was extinguished, the vessel was towed to St Petersburg, where it is expected to undergo inspection and technical assessment.

Early reports initially suggested that a Panama-flagged vessel was involved.

However, maritime security specialist Vanguard said that AIS data and the positioning of responding rescue units indicated that MSC Giada III was operating in the area at the time.

The 24-year-old container ship, with a deadweight of about 39,000 tonnes, has been operated by MSC since 2022 and regularly trades on European, Baltic and Russian routes.

References: WorldPorts, safety4sea

Source: Maritime Shipping News