The engine room of the 1998-built containership Maersk Patras caught fire in the early morning hours of November 1 while the vessel was off the coast of Las Palmas, en route to Conakry, Danish shipping firm Maersk Line confirmed.
“The fire was quickly controlled by the crew onboard and heat development from the site of the fire has ceased,” Maersk Line said.
However, due to the location of the fire, the vessel is being diverted to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.
“We continue to monitor the site of the fire and upon arrival in Las Palmas we will further investigate to establish the extent of damage and any impact to the vessel’s seaworthiness,” Maersk added.
There have been no injuries and all the crew is safe, the company said, adding that there has been no environmental impact.
The shipping firm said that it is working on a contingency plan for the cargo on board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Patras, which has a capacity of 2900 TEUs.
World Maritime News Staff