Baltimore shipping resumed after nearly a week-long disruption caused by an explosion aboard the coal carrier W-Sapphire in the Patapsco River, Baltimore sun reported.
The 81,681 dwt vessel, managed by Athens-based W Marine and flagged in Liberia, had just left CSX’s Curtis Bay terminal on August 18 with a cargo bound for Port Louis, Mauritius, when a blast occurred in its forward cargo section at around 6:30 p.m., producing fireballs and an 80 m smoke plume near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. The force of the explosion tore the forward hatch off the ship, sending the 30-ton structure into the water. All 23 crew members and two pilots were unharmed.
The 13-year-old bulker was stabilized by tugboats and guided to anchorage under US Coast Guard supervision. The USCG reported that the fire had been extinguished and a 2,000-yard safety zone was set up around the incident location, restricting navigation in the area.
On August 28, authorities recovered the detached hatch, allowing to reopen ship traffic. Sonar sweeps conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers helped locate and remove the obstruction.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the explosion aboard W-Sapphire. Among the scenarios being considered are spontaneous combustion and coal dust ignition in the forward cargo section.
