Wan Hai 503 Finally Berths In UAE After Deadly Explosion & 13-Week Ordeal At Sea

The fire-damaged containership Wan Hai 503 has finally found refuge in a safe port, ending a four-month struggle at sea following a deadly explosion off India’s southwest coast.

The 2005-built, 4,333-TEU vessel, flagged in Singapore and operated by Wan Hai Lines, berthed at DP World’s Jebel Ali port in the UAE on September 11, after being denied entry by several countries.

Wan Hai confirmed that the Dubai Ports Authority and DP World had approved the vessel to berth as a port of refuge. A salvage team boarded the ship upon arrival in the Gulf of Oman, carrying out inspections and taking measurements of its holds and compartments.

The team reported that there was no smoke, no new container displacement, and the ship’s stability and structural strength remained secure, with no immediate risks identified.

pic.twitter.com/L44LjIgx3f

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 10, 2025

The vessel will now undergo additional inspections and meet local requirements before full berthing operations begin. Container inspection and unloading are scheduled for October, depending on further clearances.

The ship caught fire on June 9 after an under-deck explosion while it was on its way from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, roughly 54 nautical miles off Kerala.

Of the 22 crew members, 18 were rescued, while four seafarers- two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one from Myanmar, were reported dead or missing. Six others sustained injuries and required hospitalisation.

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard assisted in evacuating the crew. Meanwhile, salvage company T&T Salvage was appointed on June 10, deploying the tug Offshore Warrior to the site. By June 13, the salvage team had secured a tow rope and begun stabilisation efforts.

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— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 9, 2025

The fire, which spread from midship toward the bow, destroyed most of the containers in that section. Images taken in July showed the entire forward structure charred, with only a few boxes near the bow intact. Some containers at the stern survived, shielded by the deckhouse.

Firefighting operations continued through July, and the fire was only declared fully extinguished by August 5. Salvors also worked on dewatering the engine room and other compartments to stabilise the vessel. Monitoring of container temperatures continued well into August, as one hold kept smoldering.

At the time of the fire, the Wan Hai 503 was loaded with around 1,750 containers, including 143 carrying hazardous materials. Per reports, 10 to 15 containers fell into the sea, while most remained onboard and were incinerated.

Indian officials denied entry and ordered the vessel out of their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by late June. Soon after, Sri Lanka also refused permission for the containership to dock.

Update on #MVWanHai503 incident:

Firefighting Ops by @IndiaCoastGuard have significantly reduced the blaze onboard MV WAN HAI 503. In joint efforts with @IAF_MCC, 4000 kg of #DCP has been air-dropped for controlling metal fire. Vessel held safely away from coast. No oil… pic.twitter.com/CW5SRQIjRD

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 12, 2025

With few options, authorities considered towing the vessel to Malaysia or Singapore, but by then the case was overseen by Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority. Eventually, the decision was made to tow the vessel across nearly 1,800 nautical miles of the Arabian Sea to the UAE.

The Wan Hai 503 reached the Strait of Hormuz on September 10 and entered Dubai waters the next day. Salvors completed “comprehensive inspections” before port authorities confirmed the ship could be berthed.

Further assessments will be carried out in Dubai before container discharge begins in October. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Reference: worldcargonews

Source: Maritime Shipping News