The Bahamas-flagged container ship MOL Charisma suffered a fire incident in its No.5 Cargo hold while approximately 250 miles east from Colombo, Sri Lanka, last week.
The incident occurred on 1st September 2020, during the ship’s voyage from Port Kelang, Malaysia to Nhava Sheva, India, according to data by German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd.
The fire came under control after discharging CO2 into No.5 Cargo hold and the vessel remained in Colombo, Sri Lanka, awaiting inspection.
All personnel were unharmed and there was no pollution. However the incident is a stark reminder of risks associated with container ship fires. Marine insurers have repeatedly raised concerns on the issue, noting that the increased size and cargo capacity of container ships have a real impact on the potential severity of such incidents.