Fire and Salvage Teams Report Progress with Wan Hai 503 Efforts
The teams working at the site of the burning containership Wan Hai 503 reported significant progress in their efforts during the third day of the firefight. The regional safety agency however emphasizes that the danger continues and that the fuel aboard the vessel may be becoming involved in the fire.
The onboard fire has been stabilized the crews reported approximately 40 percent of the fire was brought under control. The Indian Coast Guard was concentrating regional cooling and foam-based suppression on the forward part of the vessel and successfully reduced the fire while reports indicated they could shift toward the mid-section of the containership. So far, the stern has not become involved.
Thanks to the progress in controlling the fire, a salvage crew was able to get aboard the Wan Hai 503 for the first time. They attached a towline at the stern of the vessel and it was secured to a tug. The Indian Coast Guard reports the vessel will be moved away from the coast due to the continuing danger. Yesterday, they reported the vessel was drifting at a speed of 1 knot and a position 44 nautical miles from the coast.
Concern was raised by the specialized salvage team which observed “ongoing hydrocarbon vapor release.” They said this could indicate possible heat transfer near the fuel tanks. The Wan Hai 503 is reported to have 2,000 tonnes of fuel oil and 240 tonnes of diesel in tanks located adjacent to the fire zone.
Teams were able to attach a towline to the stern of the vessel (Indian Coast Guard)
An area survey identified between 10 and 15 containers floating away from the burning ship. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority reports that a salvage vessel is attempting to retrieve the floating containers but warns the containers could reach the coast by June 12.
It also revised the details about the containers onboard after receiving the vessel’s manifest. There are a total of 1,754 containers aboard of which 1,083 are under deck. Media reports said the fire was thought to have started in the under-deck containers. There are an additional 671 containers on deck and the number for hazardous material was revised to 143 from the previous 157.
They also reported that 16 of the 18 rescued crewmembers are now out of the hospital and in a hotel in New Mangalore. Two remain in the hospital in serious condition with earlier reports saying they had respiratory burns and burns to 40 percent of their bodies.
The Indian Coast Guard reports the salvage efforts remain focused on reducing the dangers but said it is being hampered by unfavorable sea conditions.
Firefighting Continues as Flames Spread on Wan Hai Vessel off India
The first explosion occurred according to the rescued crewmembers around 0930 on Monday morning June 9. It is unclear how much of a firefighting effort could be mounted aboard but by 1230 the crew was advising the Coast Guard that they were abandoning ship into a lifeboat and life raft.
The Indian Navy transferred 18 crewmembers from Wan Hai 503 to shore at the New Mangalore Port. Six were admitted to the hospital with two suffering burns over 30 to 40 percent of their body and serious respiratory burns. Three other crewmembers have been released from the hospital and four remain missing. The Navy and Coast Guard said they were continuing the search for the missing crewmembers.
A total of five Indian Coast Guard vessels are in the area with two large patrol ships leading the fire fighting effort. They are dousing the fire and are also providing perimeter cooling but according to the reports, efforts were being hampered by monsoonal winds. The winds have pushed the flames nearly the length of the 890-foot (268-meter) vessel with the front of the accommodation block and bridge now showing they are also scorched.
The Coast Guard is saying that the fire is under control on the forward section of the vessel through thick smoke continues to rise from the ship. The fire moved aft with the Coast Guard reporting additional containers were catching fire and exploding. The port authority announced that the manifest it had received indicated there were 157 containers with hazardous materials aboard.
Reports vary on the number of containers that were lost overboard in the initial incident, but there are some indications that additional boxes have gone overboard during the firefight. The authorities are warning they are drifting toward the south and the first debris should reach the coastline within three days.
The vessel has taken on a 10-to-15-degree list which has the authorities concerned that the ship could sink. The vessel is reported to have aboard 100 tons of fuel oil.
The ship is registered in Singapore and the Maritime & Port Authority says it is also providing assistance along with the vessel’s class society. It reports that two additional vessels from the Coast Guard and a private salvage company hired by Wan Hai were due to reach the ship Tuesday evening.
Indian Police File Charges Against MSC, Captain and Crew of Lost MSC Elsa 3
The local police in the Kerala region of India filed the first papers in a legal action against MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the captain, and the crew of the MSC Elsa 3 which was lost off the coast on May 24. The charges relate to negligence in handling the vessel and the dangerous cargo aboard.
The Fort Kochi Coastal police station filed what is known in the Indian legal system as the First Information Report (FIR) which outlines the various violations. The case is being brought on behalf of a resident named in the complaint and the local fishing community. The FIR outlines offenses of rash navigation, creating a danger to navigation, and negligent conduct as it relates to poisonous substances, combustible matter, and explosive substances.
According to the report, they are being accused of handling the vessel negligently which resulted in causing environmental impact. They are accused of being aware that the vessel was carrying hazardous substances but operating the vessel negligently. Further, it says the aftermath has seen dangerous plastic materials in the sea and washing ashore creating environmental concerns and financial losses to the fishing community.
The local government has been under political pressure to file charges while it raised concerns that it did not have legal standing because the casualty was outside the 12-mile limit. There had previously been media reports that the government was pursuing a legal settlement with MSC and its insurers while some reports said the government was trying to maintain good relations with MSC. It was pointed out that MSC is a major operator at the nearby Vizhininjam International Port. This week the company sent one of its 24,000 TEU containerships to the port for the first time, and it became the largest to have docked in India.
Officials have commented that the vessel’s ballast water system was not working properly contributing to its taking on a severe list. Media reports have questioned the condition of the ship noting that the vessel was flagged for multiple deficiencies on port state inspections. Issues were recorded on the last two inspections in 2023 and 2024 in India, but the vessel had not been detained. Bureau Veritas reports all the vessel’s certificates were up-to-date.
Saying that MSC mishandled the cargo aboard the vessel, the report highlights that 12 of the containers out of the 640 onboard held declared hazardous material, and 12 contained calcium carbide. The authorities said that 61 containers washed ashore and that so far 51 have been salvaged.
The Indian Coast Guard has been highlighting efforts to deal with small bits of plastic known as nurdles that were in the water and washing up on the beaches. It reports so far approximately 500 kg of plastic nurdles have been painstakingly removed from the beaches.
Salvage efforts began this week with ROVs and divers inspecting the wreck which sank 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. Divers are going to attempt to seal the fuel tanks to stop a small release of oil. At the beginning of July, they are going to attempt to pump the fuel from the tanks to reduce the environmental dangers.
Salvage Divers Head for MSC Elsa 3 as India Collects Evidence
The MSC Elsa 3 was lost on May 25 while it was 13 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. The small feeder ship built in 1997 was 23,000 dwt and had 640 containers aboard. At least 100 were reported lost overboard with 61 having so far washed ashore.
The focus is on controlling and stopping the oil that is seeping from the ship. Two offshore support vessels have remained at the site using dispersal techniques for a small amount of oil that is escaping from the vessel. So far, the Indian authorities insist the oil has not reached the coastline, but fishing in the area remains restricted. Reports indicate there are more than 80 tons of diesel and over 360 tons of heavy fuel aboard. An Indian Coast Guard pollution response vessel also remains on site.
Containers floating at the wreck site (Indian Coast Guard)
The Diving Support Vessel SEAMEC III has now been deployed to the wreck site with a team of 12 divers aboard. The vessel has ROVs aboard as well as diving equipment, and a decompression system for diving to the wreck is at oxygen levels. Starting today, June 9, the operation is identifying openings for the fuel tanks. The divers will be working to cap the tanks to prevent further seepage.
A site survey began on June 5 using a multibeam system to map the location. This data is also being analyzed for the second phase of the operation which is scheduled to start July 3 after the monsoons but subject to weather. In July, they plan to use hot tapping to remove the oil from the tanks.
At the same time, they report that 51 containers have been removed from the shoreline. Another 10 are currently being salvaged including some that are partially submerged. The authorities report that none of the 61 containers that came ashore contained hazardous substances.
Several of the containers however did contain small plastic beads, nurdles, and they have been washing up along the coastline. Trained volunteers will be joining the efforts on the coastline to find and remove the pollution that is coming ashore.
Coast Guard survey the boxes on the shoreline which have now been salvaged (Indian Coast Guard)
The Directorate reports MSC is closely involved having retained T&T Salvage of Singapore for the dive operation. Marine Emergency Response Services of India was also hired to manage the onshore efforts.
The state government met with representatives for the ship’s P&I club, which is listed by Equasis as the Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association with the UK P&I Club. They have also met with the ship’s owners, which Equasis reports has been with MSC for the past decade. The state government has agreed at this phase to pursue a settlement with the club following the law while it collects evidence regarding the vessel and the factors that caused it to sink so quickly while underway from Vizhinjam to Kochi. Reports have said the investigators believe there were problems with the vessel’s ballasting system that caused it to develop a 26-degree list which led to its sinking.
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