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Maersk declared general average after cargo fire

The Danish shipping company Maersk has declared general average for the 'Marie Maersk'. The general average status means that all cargo interests with cargo on board the ship will have to contribute to the costs incurred and to be incurred to salvage the vessel. The 'Marie Maersk' had departed Rotterdam on Aug 4, and if the voyage had gone smoothly, the ship would have arrived in the port of Tanjung Pelepas on Sep 6, according to the original schedule. However, on Aug 13, smoke was seen billowing from several containers. The container ship didn't actually catch fire, but the crew, assisted by salvors, had to fight for almost two weeks to get the fire under control. On Aug 25, the 'Marie Maersk' was finally able to resume its voyage, while the exact extent of the damage remained unclear. On Sep 5, the ship was east of Africa, near Madagascar, and expected in Tanjung Pelepas on Sep 14t. All containers, both damaged and undamaged, will be unloaded in port so the ship can be cleaned and minor repairs can be carried out. Shippers with cargo on board were advised to contact their insurers as soon as possible to discuss the necessary next steps.The British marine insurer W. E. Cox Claims Group, which represents a number of affected shippers, including clients with both damaged and undamaged containers, emphasized that neither cargo destined for Tanjung Pelepas nor cargo awaiting transit to other destinations would be released until the general average insurance paperwork is in order. Cox was in close contact with Maersk to ensure the customers' containers get released promptly and damaged cargo can be inspected as quickly as possible.

Damaged containers to be unloaded in Cape Town

The 'Marie Maersk' was now headed to Cape Town, maintaining a speed of 17 knots and an ETA as of Aug 31. Still on board were the fire specialists who helped the crew get the fire under control, and who were now observing the containers in order to be able to intervene quickly if the fire flares up again. It was being expected that the damaged containers will be unloaded in Cape Town, and that the 'Marie Maersk' will then continue its voyage. Maersk has not yet decided whether the 'Marie Maersk's original destination - Tanjung Pelepas - would be maintained. In fact the ship dropped anchor off Cape Town and resumed the voyage the same day. As of Sep 3, the 'Marie Maersk' showed Tanjung Pelepas as destination with an ETA as of Sep 14.

Ship now headed to Cape Town

According to Maersk, the initial interventions of the crew of the 'Marie Maersk' and the offshore tugs have stabilized the fire, but specialized external teams have yet to embark to continue and intensify operations. “After an inspection of affected areas of the vessel and careful consideration of all aspects together with authorities and class, it was deemed safe that the 'Marie Maersk' resumes her eastbound voyage around Cape of Good Hope on Aug 24.The shipowner specified that the exact location of the fire on board, namely a container bay, would not be disclosed. The damage to the cargo has not yet been assessed. The company continued its efforts to identify a suitable port of refuge, but has not yet confirmed where the vessel will be directed. Some industry observers believed that the infrastructure available on the West African coast was limited to accommodate a container ship of this size and believed that a port such as Tangier Med could represent a more realistic option than continuing the initial rotation to Asia. The AIS destination given on Aug 25 was, however, Cape Town with an ETA as of Aug 31. Maersk has set up a crisis unit in constant contact with the crew to provide operational monitoring and psychological support. At this stage, no injuries have been reported on board the 'Marie Maersk'. The ship has a clean port state control record in terms of detentions. The last deficiency recorded was in Hamburg in January, when a safety check revealed a problem related to lighting in working spaces. Report with photo: https://maritime-executive.com/article/marie-maersk-resumes-voyage-with-no-visible-damage-from-container-fire