Just days after a fatal fire broke out on board the Maersk Honam, the carrier has recently reported another similar incident on a different vessel, reports The Loadster.
Second fatal fire
A spokesman said the 6,188 teu Maersk Kensington container was also on fire in a cargo hold en route from Salalah, Oman, towards Suez today.
All 26 crew members are safe and identified, while the fire was put off at the earliest. The vessel is currently at an anchor outside the port of Salalah and is being assisted from the shore.
“Safety measures were taken immediately. The crew reacted swiftly and, as per procedure, by release of CO2 into the cargo hold to contain the fire,” The spokesman added.
Different reasons
The company said there did not seem to be any relationship between this incident and the fire on the Maersk Honam, which resulted the death of five crew members.
“The cause of the container fire is currently unknown. Maersk Line will investigate the matter thoroughly in cooperation with all relevant authorities,” a company spokesman said to The Loadster.
Legally fit to sail
The vessel is owned and operated by Maersk’s US subsidiary, Maersk Line, Limited, and is Jones Act-compliant, sailing under a US flag and employing a crew of US nationals.
It is carrying 3,518 containers – corresponding to 5,616 teu – and “in case of cargo delays, all impacted customers will be contacted directly”, says the spokesman.
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Source: The Loadstar
