Hapag-Lloyd: Crew Evacuated from Fire-Stricken Yantian Express

Hapag-Lloyd has evacuated the crew of the containership Yantian Express after the fire aboard the vessel increased in intensity, the company explained.

Namely, the shipping firm said that the ship’s crew of 8 officers and 15 seafarers “is unharmed and was safely transferred” to the salvage tug Smit Nicobar on January 5 and 6.

“Due to bad weather conditions, the fire has not been successfully contained yet and has significantly increased in intensity at times,” Hapag-Lloyd said, adding that firefighting support at the site is ongoing.

The fire broke out on January 3 in one container on Yantian Express’ deck and spread to additional containers.

“At this time, it is not possible to make a precise estimate of any damage to Yantian Express or its cargo,” the company continued.

The 7,510 TEU Yantian Express was on its way from Colombo to Halifax via the Suez Canal when the fire started. The ship is currently around 800 nautical miles off the coast of Canada, Nova Scotia.