After nearly two weeks of battling a container fire, the Marie Maersk has resumed its voyage, Maersk reports. The fire on board was brought under control with the help of external firefighting teams and specialized equipment delivered to the ship off the coast of Africa.
Photos taken on August 22 from a supply vessel show no visible damage to the containers. Following a detailed inspection of the affected areas, it was deemed safe for the ship to continue eastward around the Cape of Good Hope. The vessel’s final port of destination is still under review, with Malaysia and China included in the preliminary plans.
The incident onboard Marie Maersk – one of the world’s largest container vessels with a nominal capacity of 19,076 TEU – began on August 13, when smoke was first detected from several containers. The ship remained off the coast of Liberia for about a week, awaiting additional firefighting equipment. It was later moved closer to shore for a safer transfer of equipment, and further support was delivered offshore near Côte d’Ivoire.
Maersk confirmed that the ship’s navigation systems and main machinery were not damaged, and the vessel remains stable. A specialized firefighting team continues to operate on board, and additional safety measures have been implemented for the journey. An intermediate stop may occur to properly handle the affected containers and minimize disruptions to the shipping network.
The company has not disclosed the exact location of the smoking containers or the nature of the cargo. The full extent of the damage will only be clear once the containers are unloaded at a port.
Measuring 399 meters in length and 59 meters in width, the Triple-E class vessel represents the modern generation of ultra-large container carriers.
Photo: Maersk
