Cargo Ship Fire Blankets English City in Smoke
Residents in Hull on the east coast of England are complaining of smoky conditions and a strong smell with some businesses in the city center reporting they were remaining closed while the police have also closed roads and are warning motorists to use caution. It is all due to a smoky fire that started at mid-morning on a cargo ship docked at the port’s Albert Dock.
Humberside Fire and Rescue reports it dispatched four engines and a ladder platform to the scene, and they are working the smoky fire aboard a small dry bulk cargo ship named Altay. Ambulances and the Hull Coastguard Rescue Team were also on hand.
“Due to the wind, smoke from the incident is drifting into Hull city center. We’re asking people to keep windows and doors closed and to be mindful of the smoke if you’re out and about and avoid the area near the dock,” the fire service wrote in a public notice.
The vessel had arrived from Ijmuiden in the Netherlands on Monday, June 23. It is 8,814 dwt and registered in the Marshall Islands. Records show it has been owned by a Turkish company since 2017.
The police reported that everyone aboard the vessel has been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries. The vessel was transporting scrap metal and they believe the fire began in the cargo hold.
Altay was cited for several deficiencies, including maintenance of life saving, readiness of life saving equipment, and lack of training as it related to bridge operations during an October 2024 Port State inspection in Venice, Italy. It resulted in a two-day detention, but since then, the vessel has been inspected in Boulogne, France with a clean report.
Fire Breaks Out on Supply Boat in Bay of Gibraltar
On Wednesday, a major fire broke out aboard a supply boat in the Bay of Gibraltar, forcing seven crewmembers to abandon ship over the side.
On Wednesday afternoon, the supply boat Ceutamar 5 was alongside a container ship to deliver goods at a position within Spanish waters. A fire broke out at about 1730 hours, sending a column of smoke up over the bay.
The crew managed to separate their vessel from the boxship before they jumped over the side. All were safely rescued by responders from Salvamento Maritimo, according to local media. First responders then turned to extinguishing the fire and ensuring the damaged supply boat's stability.
Gibraltar's port authority offered its assistance for the response, but Spanish authorities declined.
No pollution was reported after the incident. The burned-out supply boat was towed to a nearby pier, where local firefighters applied cooling water and ensured that the blaze was out. An investigation into the cause of the casualty is under way.
Local environmental group Verdemar noted the smoke from the incident and said that it would be seeking further information from the authorities on any impacts.
Explosion Aboard Chemical Tanker in Irish Port Seriously Injures Two Crew
Operations were suspended Tuesday evening, June 24, in the Irish port of Shannon Foynes in County Limerick, Ireland, after reports of an explosion aboard the docked chemical tanker. The port operator later confirmed that two crewmembers had been seriously injured in an accident aboard their vessel.
The Bow Hercules(40,847dwt) operated by Odfjell Tankers and registered in Norway had docked at the Irish port earlier in the day, coming from Purfleet in the UK near Tilbury port. Reports were of an explosion and a major emergency response to the port around 6:30 p.m. local time.
Multiple ambulances were seen on the pier. An air ambulance was brought in to evacuate the most seriously injured crewmember, while a second crewmember was evacuated in an ambulance. The port is saying they suffered serious injuries in the incident. Both are reported to be from the Philippines.
According to the media reports, the tanker, which was built in 2017 and is 183 meters (600 feet) in length, was conducting routine maintenance. The blast was caused by a gas cylinder explosion, and the two injured crew were reported to be performing routine work near the vessel’s lifeboat. They were close to the area where the detonation occurred.
Shannon Foynes is Ireland’s largest bulk and breakbulk port. Operations were resumed after the situation had been stabilized. Bow Hercules remains in the port undergoing safety checks and an investigation into the cause of the explosion.
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