DFDS Ro-Ro Suffers Fire

Corona Seaways. Image (c) DFDS

DFDS has reported a fire onboard their Ro-Ro vessel Corona Seaways while en route from Frederica to Copenhagen.

The fire broke in the ship’s closed main deck at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time Wednesday morning. The crew was initially able to bring the fire under control with the onboard sprinkler system, but the fire flared up again. The ship arrived in the port of Helsingborg at 7:00 a.m., where the fire was attended by the fire services in Helsingborg who extinguished the fire.

The ship was assisted by the Danish sea rescue services at first, followed by the Swedish sea rescue services.

DFDS reports no injuries or casualties amongst the 19 crewmembers or 10 passengers, although everyone has been examined for smoke inhalation.

Corona Seaways is managed by Ellingsen Ship Management AB in Stockholm. Since 2008, the vessel has been sailing under charter on DFDS, between Klaipeda in Lithuania, Copenhagen and Fredericia.

DFDS says the fire is being investigated by authorities, who will also determine the cause of the fire. The company added that the extent of damaged caused to the cargo has not yet been established, but will inform its customers a soon as they know more about this and when the ship can be back in operation.

The Corona Seaways is 185 meters long and can carry 3,322 lane meters of cargo. The vessel is one of four sister ships built by the Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, China and delivered in 2008.