Singapore-flagged Container Vessel Caught Fire After Explosion

[kellyhound]

On June 9, 2025, the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 caught fire following an explosion in its forward cargo hold, approximately 44–80 nautical miles southwest of Azhikkal, Kerala, India, while en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva, Mumbai.

The vessel, operated by Wan Hai Lines, was carrying around 650 containers, including hazardous materials such as flammable liquids, flammable solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, toxic substances, and 32.2 tons of nitrocellulose stored in alcohol.

The fire, which started in the underdeck cargo hold, spread rapidly, engulfing much of the ship and causing 20–50 containers to fall overboard.

Of the 22 crew members on board (8 Chinese, 6 Taiwanese, 5 Myanmarese, and 3 Indonesian), 18 were rescued by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, with some sustaining injuries, including two with severe burns and two in critical condition due to inhalation burns.

Four crew members—two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one Myanmarese—remain missing, with ongoing search and rescue operations.

The rescued crew were taken to New Mangalore Port, where six received medical treatment, and three have since been discharged.

The Indian Coast Guard and Navy deployed multiple assets, including ships (Samudra Prahari, Sachet, Samarth, and others), Dornier aircraft, and helicopters, for firefighting and rescue efforts.

The vessel, carrying 2,000 tons of fuel oil and 240 tons of diesel near the fire zone, remains adrift, listing 10–15 degrees to port, with dense smoke and ongoing explosions posing risks of further structural failure or sinking.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) issued an alert for a potential oil spill from the ship’s 100 tons of bunker oil, with containers and debris expected to drift south-southeast for up to three days, threatening Kerala’s coast and local fishing activities.

Authorities, including the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and India’s Directorate General of Shipping, are investigating the incident and coordinating with the vessel’s owners to engage professional salvors and firefighting experts.

Efforts are underway to tow the vessel further offshore to minimize coastal environmental impact, though the fire’s intensity complicates these operations.

This incident follows a recent sinking of the MSC ELSA 3 off Kerala, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the region’s maritime trade routes.

[Mr.NoCredit]

From the article it looks like nothing but toxic chemicals and things that burn. What a great cargo to dump in the ocean.