India expands foreign port presence with new consortium
NewsIndia is forming a consortium to acquire and develop foreign ports, with IPGL managing operations, IPRCL handling infrastructure, and SDCL overseeing financing.
Fire on Maersk Frankfurt nearly out
The fire on the Maersk Frankfurt container ship off the coast of India, which had been burning for five days and resulted in the death of one crew member, is almost extinguished.
The fire on the Maersk Frankfurt container ship, which resulted in the death of one crew member, is almost extinguished after five days of firefighting. However, small fires in some containers are still being reported.
The ship is currently located 13 nautical miles west of New Mangalore, India, and is moving towards open waters.
Previously reported: Fire breaks out on Maersk container ship, one crew member dead
In a statement to WorldCargo News sent on Wednesday, Maersk said: “We cannot confirm that the fire has been extinguished. Specialised firefighting experts have boarded the vessel and are working to extinguish the fire. Some visible flames have been reported from the vessel, and smouldering from containers continues.”
“The vessel is reportedly in stable condition, with all machinery, steering and navigational equipment fully operational. At the moment, we cannot confirm the extent of the fire’s impact on the cargo. We remain in constant touch with the vessel owner and ship managers,” Maersk added.
“We have also received notification that the vessel owners have decided to declare General Average (GA). This would mean that once the onboard containers are discharged from the vessel at a safe location, they would not be released for on-carriage or delivery until cargo interests have made the required security arrangements through the GA adjusters,” Maersk concluded.
Monsoon conditions
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) reported on X that it “continues firefighting operations in extreme monsoon conditions, successfully extinguishing major fires on board.”
“Currently, ICGS Samudra Prahari, a specialised Pollution Control Vessel, and ICGS Sachet, an advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel, are tackling these small fires. They are supported by Albattros-5, an Offshore Patrol Vessel chartered by the ship managers, and Emergency Towing Vessel Water Lily, under contract with DG Shipping,” ICG stated.
“Aerial assessments are being conducted as necessary. Given the serious threat to the Indian coastline, every effort is being made to keep the vessel away from the coast and in deeper waters,” ICG added.
The ship managers, Hong Kong-based Bernhard Schulte Ship Managemen, have contracted M/s SMIT Salvage to carry out salvage operations on the distressed vessel. The ICG facilitated the boarding of an initial team of four members. The salvors have requested ICG presence near the distressed vessel to manage any potential re-ignition of the fire until the arrival of two Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels from abroad, under their contract.
#ICG OP to make safe MV #MaerskFrankfurt enters day 05. @IndiaCoastGuard continues firefighting operations in extreme monsoon conditions, successfully dousing major fires aboard. #ICG ships Samudra Prahari & Sachet lead efforts, with support from Albattros 5 & ETV Water Lily. M/s… pic.twitter.com/vWHgrtVFZd
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) July 23, 2024
One crew member died
The fire was first reported last Friday when the ship was about 50 nautical miles off Karwar, India. The crew initially began firefighting efforts, supported by the Indian Coast Guard. Unfortunately, one crew member died in the incident. Local media reported that a short circuit caused the fire, leading to explosions and the death of a Filipino seaman.
The Maersk Frankfurt’s crew had 21 members: 17 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, one Russian, and one Montenegrin.
The vessel is reportedly carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo.
The 5,920 TEU Maersk Frankfurt was delivered to its Japanese owners by Imabari Shipbuilding in May. It is managed by Bernard Schulte and is operating under a time charter to Maersk.
On its maiden voyage, a 255-meter-long Maersk Frankfurt, built in 2024, departed Mundra, India on July 17 and was scheduled to reach Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 21.
Credit: Indian Coast Guard