Image source: Polizei Hamburg via World Maritime News
The 9,000 TEU container ship, CCNI Arauco, caught fire at the Port of Hamburg this morning. More than 100 firefighters are on the scene and have confirmed that there are no containers on the vessel containing dangerous goods.
According to World Maritime News, “The fire reportedly started due to welding works being undertaken on the rear end of the ship, and spread out below the vessel’s deck.”
All crew members have been evacuated safely and people nearby have been advised to close all doors and windows while they continue to battle the fire. You can see a short video of them working to put the fire out here –
Update
The salvage took firefighters around four days as they had to be cautious of the high temperatures in the ship as well as the possibility of another fire starting. All burning cargo was removed from the ship, where it will continue to be monitored until they are sure more flames will not erupt. Once the removal was completed, the vessel was boarded to assess damages and be evaluated for seaworthiness.
This is an unfortunate example of the importance of cargo insurance. You never know when an unexpected accident may occur, affecting your cargo.
