Fire Breaks Out On Maersk’s Ultra-Large Containership Off Liberia

A major fire broke out on board AP Moller-Maersk’s ultra-large containership Marie Maersk while sailing off the coast of Liberia. The incident began on the morning of 13 August 2025 when the crew detected smoke coming from containers on the vessel.

The 2013-built Marie Maersk is part of Maersk’s Triple-E class and has a capacity of 19,076 TEU. It was on a scheduled voyage from Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, when the fire started. The vessel had departed Rotterdam on 4 August and was listed to arrive in Malaysia on 6 September.

According to Maersk, the crew immediately activated safety procedures and began fighting the fire on board. The company confirmed that all crew members are safe and that the vessel remains in stable condition.

Despite the firefighting efforts, all machinery, steering, and navigational equipment are fully operational.

The containership was diverted towards the West African coast to receive landside assistance as quickly as possible. Two tugboats equipped with firefighting gear reached the vessel on the evening of 13 August local time to support the crew.

Automatic Identification System (AIS) data later showed the ship listed as “restricted manoeuvrability” while moving at about 1.6 knots northwest off the Liberian coast.

Sal Mercogliano, a maritime historian, reported that the Marie Maersk was “hove to” off the Liberian coast, with the Maersk Savannah standing by nearby.

Two tugs, Captain Cat and Med Rigel, were assisting in firefighting operations. Dutch company SMIT Salvage has also deployed two specialised firefighting tugboats.

Maersk said that it is in constant contact with the crew and is providing all possible support. However, the company has not yet confirmed the extent of the damage to the vessel or its cargo.

The Marie Maersk is a Danish-flagged containership measuring 399 meters in length and 59 meters in width. It was the fourth ship delivered in Maersk’s pioneering Triple-E class in 2013. The vessel was originally contracted in South Korea in 2011 at a reported cost of $185 million.

The ship is covered by Britannia P&I insurance. It has a clean port state control record with no detentions. Its most recent deficiency was recorded in Hamburg in January 2025, when a safety inspection identified an issue with lighting in working spaces.

References: Reuters, rivieramm

Source: Maritime Shipping News