MSC Boxship Catches fire off Colombo Port
A FIRE broke out toward the bow of a Mediterranean Shipping Co containership on Tuesday about 33 miles off the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka.
According to MANA, The blaze started at 1030 hrs local time. The Sri Lanka Navy said that a local agent of the 2008-built, 13,798 teu MSC Daniela notified the Sri Lankan naval forces, which subsequently dispatched two fast attack craft P 436 and P 412 to assist two tugs from the Sri Lankan Port Authority, Rawana and Maha Wewa, that were already on the scene.
"MSC, in co-ordination with the local and national authorities, undertook a concerted effort to extinguish the fire which involved tugboats, a specialised fire-fighting vessel and a helicopter. MSC is pleased to confirm that no injuries to the 22-man crew have been reported."
According to Lloyd's List Intelligence data, the vessel had departed Singapore on March 31 and was scheduled to arrive in Port Said, Egypt on April 10.