The incident, which occurred at about 00:40 a.m. local time, “caused an explosion and subsequent fire,” the company said, as well as damage to the hull. What the “external source” was is unclear at this time.
The statement added that the master immediately stopped all discharge operations and the ship’s operations were carried out.
The crew has contained the fire with the help of a fire brigade and tug boat on shore, and all 22 beaches have been claimed unharmed. “It is possible that some oil may have leaked from the ship, but this has not been confirmed and the instrumentation currently indicates that the oil level in the board was at the same level as before the incident,” Hafnia said.
Cooling operations and cargo space insertion operations have been initiated to avoid any further possible fires, while the ship’s stability is being assessed before further operations can continue, the company added.
Inerting is the introduction of non-combustible gas into a limited space to reduce the risk of fire.
Hafnia said he has activated his shore-based emergency response team and has advised all concerned officers about the incident. “(We) are working with them to ensure the continued safety of the crew, the ship and the environment,” the company said.
The statement said Singapore-based Hafnia operates a fleet of 178 ships and provides transportation of oil and oil products “to national and international oil companies, large chemical companies as well as trade and utility companies.”
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