An American car carrier with 21 crew members suffered a fire aboard while underway in the English Channel en route to Baltimore from Southampton.
The UK Coastguard says it was notified at around 3:45 a.m. on Friday of a fire on board the US-flagged roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier MV Honor.
The Coastguard said the vessel’s fixed firefighting systems were used to combat the fire and the cargo space has been sealed. The ship’s crew continued to monitor the cargo area as the vessel headed back towards Southampton under its own power and with full maneuverability. The ship was planned to anchor to the South East of the Isle of Wight in the Solent.
“UK Coastguard is monitoring the situation closely and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has been notified of the incident,” a media release by the UK Coastguard said. “A Fire and Rescue Marine Response team is to be airlifted on board the vessel by the UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Lee on Solent to further investigate the fire damage and determine whether or not it is safe for the vessel to return to Southampton Port. In addition, a pilot from Southampton Port and a MCA Marine Casualty Officer will be sent to the vessel to assist the assessment process prior to the vessel being allowed to return to Southampton.”
The MV Honor is operated by American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC). The company said the fire has been extinguished, but the impacted and now-sealed cargo hold has not yet been inspected. The company confirmed there were no injuries among the 21 crew members onboard.
Andy Jenkins, Commander for the UK Coastguard said: “The 21 crew are still on board the vessel and they are safe and well. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as it develops.”
An update from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said fire fighters have boarded the vessel by helicopter.
The MV Honor was built in 1997 and is 622 feet in length.
Back in January, another American car carrier, the Alliance St. Louis, suffered an electrical fire in the engine room while in Gulf of Mexico, causing the ship to lose propulsion power.
Dive into a sea of information with our meticulously curated weekly “Dispatch” email. It’s more than just a newsletter; it’s your personal maritime briefing.
Dive into a sea of information with our meticulously curated weekly “Dispatch” email. It’s more than just a newsletter; it’s your personal maritime briefing.
(Bloomberg) — Russia’s state oil tanker company PJSC Sovcomflot said that US sanctions are putting pressure on its operations, the latest sign that the measures are complicating the delivery of...
March 11 (Reuters) – U.S. crude oil production lead global oil production for a sixth straight year, with a record breaking average production of 12.9 million barrels per day (bpd), the Energy...
BEIJING/MANILA, March 5 (Reuters) – The Philippines summoned China’s deputy chief of mission in Manila on Tuesday to protest what it called “aggressive actions” by Chinese naval forces against a resupply mission...
March 5, 2024
Total Views: 3624
Why Join gCaptain Club?
Be Informed: Stay updated with the latest maritime news and trends.
Connect: Network with a community of maritime professionals and enthusiasts.
Gain Insights: Receive exclusive content and personal perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.