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Video: Explosion as container fire rages on X-Press PearlVideo: Explosion as container fire rages on X-Press Pearl

The crew of X-Press Pearl have been evacuated after a large explosion as the vessel was engulfed in flames from a container fire.

Gary Howard, Middle East correspondent

May 25, 2021

1 Min Read
X Press Pearl on fire off Sri Lanka
Dailymirror.lk via Youtube

The 25 crew were safely evacuated, with two Indian crew members admitted to hospital in Colombo, according to local news.

Fire was reported onboard the X-Press Pearl off Colombo Port on May 20; the vessel is carrying 25 tons of nitric acid and other chemicals. Emergency services said the fire was under control on May 21. The airforce dropped fire suppressing powder on the vessel, and three tugs from the Sri Lanka Port Authority attended to cool containers and contain the fire. 

The situation appears to have deteriorated rapidly with reports of an explosion on the vessel on May 25.

Videos of the fire onboard the 1,486 teu feeder vessel show containers and their contents floating in the sea around the vessel; local officials said eight containers had fallen into the sea as of the morning of May 25. 

Container fires are major concern for the industry with misdeclared dangerous cargoes resulting in sometimes deadly fires that can take weeks to extinguish.

 

About the Author

Gary Howard

Middle East correspondent

Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. 

Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events.

Conferences & Webinars

Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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