Latest news with #MVWanHai503
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Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
India seeks tighter container safety, cargo disclosure norms in IMO meet
After multiple incidents of vessel sinking and fires off Indian coasts, India has asked the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) to tighten container safety and cargo disclosure norms on a 'war footing'. The development comes at the heels of IMO's ongoing session of the Maritime Safety Committee, where India brought up the recent sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3 and a fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, which, according to officials aware of the matter, has still not been completely extinguished. 'These incidents highlight urgent safety concerns regarding cargo carriage on container ships. India urges a global review of packaging, stowage, and monitoring protocols of containerised cargoes, especially lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and plastic nurdles. The four incidents in quick succession within three weeks demand immediate action from stakeholders to protect seafarers' lives and the livelihoods of Indian fishermen and coastal communities,' the Indian delegation said at the maritime watchdog's safety meeting. India's stand at the meeting is that reliance solely on shipper declarations is not adequate — a call made repeatedly in the past by sector watchers around the globe. Shipowners/managers, especially container shipping lines, must adopt technology and take responsibility to prevent such incidents in a transparent manner. 'What is in a box can't be a mystery anymore. India calls on the IMO to develop stronger regulatory mechanisms for the safety of container ships, cargo management, and crew protection on a war footing,' the Indian delegation said. According to reports, MV Wan Hai 503 was carrying flammable solids (IMO Class 4.1) in 20 containers — including extremely flammable nitrocellulose with alcohol in two containers, naphthalene (crude or refined) in 12 containers, and flammable liquids in multiple containers. The vessel is also carrying over 4,900 kilograms of a spontaneously combustible (IMO Class 4.2) organometallic substance, which can combust when in contact with air and reacts with water. On May 25, MSC ELSA 3 sank 30 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. It carried 13 containers with International Maritime Dangerous Goods cargoes. Local reports, however, show a continued flow of plastic nurdles on the coast of Kerala, which are being cleaned up by local authorities. The Singapore-flagged Wan Hai 503 suffered an underdeck explosion and fire. The vessel carried 147 dangerous containers. Firefighting and towing operations, coordinated by the Directorate General of Shipping, are ongoing to prevent ecological harm. Both these incidents have caused major environmental damage to coastal fishing communities in Kerala — 65 containers have fallen overboard, many yet to be traced. Two more incidents involving vessels with flammable substances have also taken place in recent weeks off the coasts of Mumbai and Kerala. Safety investigations are ongoing, and India will share the findings of these probes at the next meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee. While the next committee meeting is scheduled for May 2026, a meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee is scheduled for October. 'Though these incidents involved foreign vessels and crew from other nationalities, we activated rapid search and rescue and emergency response,' India said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Fire aboard Singapore-flagged ship partially contained: DGS
The blaze aboard the Singapore-flagged cargo ship, which caught fire last week off the Kerala coast, is partially contained, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) said on Wednesday. According to a DGS report about the situation as of June 17, there is a noticeable reduction in visible flames and smoke intensity across most zones of the vessel -- MV Wan Hai 503 -- that caught fire after an explosion in one of the containers aboard. The vessel was heading to Colombo from Mumbai. The other positive developments were the vessel's reduced speed, its offshore trajectory and current position at around 68.5 nautical miles off the Kerala coast, the report said. At the same time, the persistent smoke from certain sections of the ship, its history of internal flare-ups which require sustained firefighting pressure, the adverse weather conditions and the absence of a second towline were matters of concern, it said. 'Weather at the site remains adverse, with westerly winds between 29–34 knots, gusting up to 39 knots, intermittent heavy rainfall, and periods of zero visibility, all of which are significantly impeding firefighting and boarding operations,' the DGS said. Establishing a second towline was crucial, given the dynamic sea state and the structural stresses already endured by the vessel, it added. At present, the ship remains connected via a single towline to a tugboat -- Offshore Warrior, it said. The DGS report further said that stability assessments of the vessel suggest it was operating within 90% of acceptable seagoing conditions, but targeted hull strength evaluations, especially near high-heat zones, remain a priority. It also said that discussions are going on for a Port of Refuge, as a contingency, with Jebel Ali in Dubai under primary consideration, subject to complete fire suppression, structural integrity assessments, and regulatory permissions. 'Alternatives in Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Qatar are also under review,' it added. The report further said that identification of a body which reportedly washed ashore near the Kerala coast is currently under verification, with support from local authorities, as of the 22 crew members on board the vessel, 18 were rescued while four remain missing. 'Efforts remain focused on fire suppression, structural safety, and safe relocation of the vessel out of Indian waters under controlled tow,' it said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Web application to collect, track shipwrecks
The State Disaster Management Authority has developed a web application for collecting and tracking debris and related information linked to shipwrecks that occurred off the coast of Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, he said the web application would collect information, including the name of the person who found the object, mobile number, basic information about the object found, live location where the object was seen or the nearest landmark, and images. As of Wednesday morning, 65 containers had been found along the coast of Kerala in connection with the shipwreck. All the containers have been transferred to various ports. He said 21 barrels found in the Vizhinjam and Kovalam areas of Thiruvananthapuram have been moved to safe locations at the Vizhinjam port. Two barrels suspected to be related to ship accidents have washed ashore in Alappad in Kollam and Kumbala Koipady in Kasaragod. The Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 that caught fire off the coast of Kerala has currently been moved to 57 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. Work is under way to tow the ship further away, although reports indicate that the ship continues to emit fire and smoke. The containers that have fallen from the ship are likely to land in the southern part of Ernakulam and on the coasts of Alappuzha and Kollam in the coming days. In such a situation, if any suspected objects are found on the beach, people should not touch them and stay at least 200 metres from them. Also, the State Disaster Management Authority should immediately be alerted about the incident by dialling 112, he said.
India Today
2 days ago
- General
- India Today
Fire on Singapore-flagged cargo ship off Kerala coast partially contained
The blaze aboard the Singapore-flagged cargo ship, which caught fire last week off the Kerala coast, is partially contained, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) said on to a DGS report about the situation as of June 17, there is a noticeable reduction in visible flames and smoke intensity across most zones of the vessel -- MV Wan Hai 503 -- that caught fire after an explosion in one of the containers aboard. The vessel was heading to Colombo from other positive developments were the vessel's reduced speed, its offshore trajectory and current position at around 68.5 nautical miles off the Kerala coast, the report said. At the same time, the persistent smoke from certain sections of the ship, its history of internal flare-ups which require sustained firefighting pressure, the adverse weather conditions and the absence of a second towline were matters of concern, it said."Weather at the site remains adverse, with westerly winds between 29–34 knots, gusting up to 39 knots, intermittent heavy rainfall, and periods of zero visibility, all of which are significantly impeding firefighting and boarding operations," the DGS a second towline was crucial, given the dynamic sea state and the structural stresses already endured by the vessel, it added. Presently, the ship remains connected via a single towline to a tugboat -- Offshore Warrior,it DGS report further said that stability assessments of the vessel suggest it was operating within 90 per cent of acceptable seagoing conditions, but targeted hull strength evaluations, especially near high-heat zones, remain a also said that discussions are going on for a Port of Refuge, as a contingency, with Jebel Ali in Dubai under primary consideration, subject to complete fire suppression, structural integrity assessments, and regulatory permissions."Alternatives in Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Qatar are also under review," it report further said that identification of a body which reportedly washed ashore near the Kerala coast is currently under verification, with support from local authorities, as of the 22 crew members on board the vessel, 18 were rescued while four remain missing."Efforts remain focused on fire suppression, structural safety, and safe relocation of the vessel out of Indian waters under controlled tow," it InMust Watch
Mint
3 days ago
- Climate
- Mint
Singapore-flagged cargo ship fire off the Kerala coast partially contained, says DGS
The Directorate General of Shipping on Wednesday said the blaze aboard the Singapore-flagged cargo ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on June 9 off the Kerala coast, is partially under control. A DGS report described the situation as of June 17 and noted a significant decrease in visible flames and smoke intensity across most areas of the vessel, which caught fire following an explosion in one of its containers. The ship was en route from Mumbai to Colombo. The report also highlighted several positive developments, including the vessel's reduced pace, its offshore course, and its current location approximately 68.5 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. However, it also pointed out ongoing concerns such as persistent smoke from specific sections of the ship, a history of internal flare-ups requiring continuous firefighting efforts, unfavorable weather conditions, and the lack of a secondary towline. The DGS stated, 'Weather at the site remains adverse, with westerly winds between 29–34 knots, gusting up to 39 knots, intermittent heavy rainfall, and periods of zero visibility, all of which are significantly impeding firefighting and boarding operations.' It added setting up a second towline was important considering the dynamic sea state and the structural stresses already gone by the vessel, further stating the ship remains connected via a single towline to a tugboat -- Offshore Warrior. The DGS report also noted that stability assessments indicate the vessel was operating within 90% of the acceptable seagoing parameters. However, focused evaluations of hull strength, particularly in areas exposed to high heat remain a key priority. Additionally, it mentioned that contingency discussions are underway regarding a potential Port of Refuge, with Jebel Ali in Dubai being the primary option. This is contingent on full fire suppression, verification of the vessel's structural integrity, and obtaining the necessary regulatory clearances.
