KOCHI: Fire continued to rage and dark smoke with toxic fumes kept billowing from MV Wan Hai 503 on Tuesday, a day after a major blast ripped through the Singapore flagged container vessel. The Director General (DG) of Shipping released a list of 157 containers carrying hazardous cargo, but details of the explosives have not been revealed.
However, sources confirmed the presence of explosives in the vessel, saying they might have triggered the blast.
A top official said the shipping firm has been told that the vessel will not be allowed to dock at Indian ports and they will have to take it off Indian waters after dousing the fire.
“We have confirmed the presence of explosives on the vessel. But the list of dangerous goods released does not have these details. We believe the initial blast was triggered by the explosives and the fire spread to the inflammable cargo. Among the 18 crew members, five sustained burn injuries and were admitted to a hospital.
The others are lodged in a hotel. The DG Shipping authorities will start recording their statements on Wednesday. The salvage team appointed by the shipping firm will arrive in Kochi on Wednesday morning. There are expert chemists in the team and the efforts to neutralise the toxic chemicals will be taken up based on their advice,” said a senior officer.
Indian Coast Guard vessels Samudra Prahari and Sachet toiled hard pumping water at high force on the vessel to contain the flames while other ICG vessels Samarth, Abhinav and Arnvesh were, in addition to providing support, coordinating rescue operations. Indian Navy vessel INS Sutlej also joined the operations on Tuesday evening.
The Dornier aircraft of Coast Guard deployed for surveillance has sighted around 10 to 15 containers drifting in the southeasterly direction. The estimated speed of the drift is 1 to 1.5 knots per hour. If unchecked, these containers may reach Kerala coast between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram by Thursday. The contents of the floating containers remain unknown, and their potential for hazard is under assessment.
Investigator appointed by Singapore Maritime Port Authority to arrive today
Meanwhile, sources said around 40 containers have fallen off the vessel and a few others were broken in the impact of the blast.
According to the DG Shipping, the vessel remains unmanned, adrift, and continues to emit smoke and flames from Bay Nos. 2 and 3. The fuel tanks, with approximately 2000 tonnes of fuel oil and 240 tonnes of diesel, are located adjacent to the fire zone, posing threat of a potential escalation.
The vessel is drifting at approximately one nautical mile in a southerly direction and is an imminent threat considering the fuel on board combined with 157 containers with dangerous goods, including 32.2 tonnes of Nitrocellulose with Alcohol.
The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore has recommended immediate commencement of boundary cooling near the affected bays and adjacent fuel tanks to prevent secondary fire hazards.
The ship owners have appointed T&T Salvage for salvage operations. However, the expert firefighting personnel are yet to be appointed and discussions are on regarding mobilisation or consultation of professionals from the UK or the Netherlands.
“The vessel remains afloat but unmanned. There are no reports of water ingress or structural instability at this stage. Due to the presence of dangerous cargo, firefighting operations are currently being done cautiously pending hazard verification and expert advice on appropriate extinguishing methods. The immediate concern remains containing the drift of the vessel away from the Indian coast, and considering the magnitude of fire, connecting a towline is extremely challenging and alternative options are being considered in consultation with the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard,” said the DG Shipping.
As per the Cargo Manifest, 157 containers had dangerous cargo, including flammable liquids and solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, and toxic and corrosive substances. A comprehensive international Maritime Dangerous Goods Manifest is still awaited.
The DG Shipping and the shipping firm have deployed tugs Water Lily and Offshore Warrior with firefighting capability to contain the blaze. Meanwhile, the DG Shipping has informed that an investigator appointed by the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore will arrive in Kochi early on Wednesday.