Towing Effort Attempts to Move Smoldering Wan Hai 503 Out to Sea
The Indian Coast Guard is reporting significant progress with the efforts to manage the fire aboard the containership Wan Hai 503. Concern was being raised during the day on Friday as winds began to build ahead of an approaching storm which local officials feared would drive the ship toward the coastline.
Despite continuing hotspots and heavy gray and black smoke coming from the midsection of the vessel, the Indian Coast Guard reports the Indian Navy was able to put a salvage team aboard the vessel late on Friday, June 13. They used a helicopter to winch four salvage personnel on the deck of the vessel. They were able to establish a new towline which has now been passed to the commercial vessel Ocean Warrior hired by the salvage team.
Salvage team was placed on the vessel using the winch from an Indian Navy helicopter (ICG)
It was reported to be the third towline attached to the vessel as the prior two had parted. Before the Ocean Warrior was in position for the tow, the Coast Guard had attempted to use the smaller tug Water Lily. According to the situation update, the tug did not have sufficient bollard pull power to pull the Wan Hai 503 away. A third tug, Triton Liberty operating under charter to the Navy was also dispatched from Kochi to aid in the tow.
The Wan Hai 503 was initially about 44 nautical miles away from the coast but at last observation, it is reported to be drifting at speeds up to 1.8 knots. At other times, the report said the vessel was “rotating aimlessly.” It was about 38 nautical miles from the coast with the local authorities beginning to make preparations in case the ship was driven ashore. They sought to assure citizens by saying there would be a seven to eight-hour warning if the vessel was coming ashore.
Part of the concern is a building storm that could drive wind speeds to 50 to 60 mph over the weekend. The Secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority told the Manorama news outlet that things were starting to look “scary” with the southwest winds gaining strength. Further, they reported with the majority of the cargo incinerated, the vessel is lighter and has increased in speed.
The bulk of the fire is out but below deck and in the midships area there continue to be hotspots that still require boundary cooling. They were also continuing to drop chemicals from above as the fire was proving to be very persistent.
Progress with Wan Hai 503 Fire as India Demands Action from Salvage Efforts
The firefighting efforts for the Wan Hai 503 containership which are now being undertaken jointly by India’s Coast Guard and Air Force are reporting progress, while India’s shipping authorities are demanding more action by the vessel’s owners and the appointed salvage team. The frustration comes as India has been forced to deal with two containership casualties simultaneously, and today there was another brief scare when a third vessel reported a box fire.
The Indian Coast Guard has been leading the effort since the fire began on the Wan Hai 503 on June 9, approximately 44 miles off the coast. The fire rapidly engulfed much of the ship with the Coast Guard sending firefighting vessels and today joined by the Air Force which was dropping dry chemical power onto the core of the fire. Today, the fourth day of the effort, the Coast Guard reports it has seven ships engaged in firefighting, boundary cooling, and the continuing search for the four missing crewmembers.
The fire has been substantially reduced with the authorities saying it is approximately 40 percent suppressed. However, there is heavy gray and black smoke and heat zones remain active mostly around the forward cargo hold and below deck. One concern is that heating continues near the fuel tanks and persistent hotspots requiring continuous boundary cooling.
The Coast Guard was able to get a team aboard the vessel and secured a towline at the stern. They were planning fresh attempts to establish a stable towline that would be connected to the Offshore Warrior, a more powerful platform supply vessel brought in by the appointed salvage company T&T Salvage.
The goal is to use the stronger tug to pull the vessel away from the coastline. Currently, the vessel is between 38 and 40 nautical miles offshore and drifting to the southeast at 1.5 to 2 knots. The Directorate General of Shipping warns there is a serious risk of escalation if the fire is not stabilized. Further, they are concerned because the weather forecast calls for strong winds likely reaching 50 to 60 knots and heavy rain from June 14 to 16.
The Directorate General sent a letter to Wan Hai and T&T Salvage on June 11 raising serious concerns about their efforts. Reports said the Offshore Warrior had to leave the scene because it did not have adequate fuel and was traveling to Kochi for refueling. Also, the authorities highlighted the vessel has limited firefighting capabilities and lacked foam for firefighting. They are calling the vessel “unsuitable for effectively addressing the rapidly evolving and critical situation.”
The authorities are calling for a stronger response by the companies saying they would not hesitate to initiate criminal proceedings and other punitive measures. They are demanding no further delay or negligence in launching an effective firefighting and salvage operation.
The Indian Coast Guard is reported to have requisitioned an additional 1,000 kilograms of dry chemical power to be dropped as well as an additional 10,000 liters of firefighting foam. At the last report, it had 3,000 liters available on-site. The Directorate also reported that it has requisitioned the offshore tug Triton Liberty, which is under charter to the Indian Navy, and it was due to reach Wan Hai 503 late on Thursday. It is to be used to support the firefight and for towing assistance.
The Directorate General of Shipping at the same time is demanding more action from the salvage teams working on the MSC Elsa 3 which was lost in the same area. They want the fuel pumping from the wreck to begin although they reported today salvage divers have been able to stop the leaks from the ship.
Further compounding the demands on the Indian Coast Guard another feeder ship, Interasia Tenacity (37,160 dwt) reported a box fire on Thursday said India’s Manoram outlet. The vessel is inbound and due to arrive in India tomorrow but reported a fire in one of the 1,387 containers aboard. The Coast Guard responded but the vessel later advised it had controlled the fire and no longer required assistance.
The Indian Coast Guard has received commendations from many sources including both China and Taiwan for its response which saved 18 seafarers from Wan Hai 503 and the crew from the MSC Elsa 3. The Directorate General however highlights the ultimate salvage responsibility is with the owners and operators of the vessels and they must maximize their efforts to minimize the environmental damage from the casualties.
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