- The incident on the CSSC Cape Town appeared to be in the area of the vessel’s forecastle, where the vessel’s anchor mechanism is housed.
- The injured crew were transferred to the Seville burns unit after sustaining 40% and 25% burns.
Gibraltar Chronicle reports of an explosion of a Chinese capesize bulk carrier explosion injuring several crew members.
Bulk carrier explosion
Capesize bulk carrier CSSC CAPE TOWN suffered an explosion in fore part at night February 19 in British Gibraltar waters, Bay of Gibraltar. The ship arrived from Baltimore, USA, loaded with coal, destined for Algeciras, Spain, Bay of Gibraltar.
Reportedly, there was no fire. Several crew members said to be injured. The ship left Bay of Gibraltar several hour after explosion and sailed to Alboran sea east of Gibraltar outside anchorage zone, where she either anchored or keeps moving at very slow speed, as of 0450 UTC Feb 20.
Incident update
Two crew members suffered severe burns (40% and 25%) and were taken to hospital, two more crew were slightly injured and were treated on board. All 4 were on forecastle where explosion took place, understood ready to anchor. The injured crew have been transferred to Seville’s burns unit.
- The CSSC CAPE TOWN is flagged in Hong Kong. It was built in 2020. It carried 19 crew members, all of whom are Chinese nationals.
- Its last port of call was Baltimore in the United States of America and its next port of call is listed as Port Said in Egypt.
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Source: Gibraltar Chronicle
