Cargo Ship Fire From Lithium Ion Battery Extinguished, Crew And Cargo Unharmed

A lithium-ion battery fire that had been burning for many days on board the cargo ship Genius Star XI has been effectively put out, the U.S. Coast Guard reported on Saturday. It has been claimed that none of the 19 crew members were hurt, and the ship has been ordered to anchor close to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. To ensure the fire doesn’t start again, technicians from the Salvage and Marine Firefighting team are on board.

The event happened when the ship, transporting 800 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego, was sailing toward the destination. On December 25, the crew noticed a fire in the Number 1 cargo hold. Following the usual procedure, they activated the CO2-fixed firefighting system.

The Coast Guard was notified when the ship was approximately 200 nautical miles southwest of Dutch Harbor on December 28. The Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley and an HC-130 aircraft were sent from Air Station Kodiak to address the problem. Still operating independently, the Genius Star XI was ordered to divert to Dutch Harbor to receive support.

When the cargo ship arrived on December 29, it was positioned two miles offshore to reduce the dangers of the fire’s toxic fumes on the surrounding area and ecology. The decision to anchor the vessel in a sheltered area close to Dutch Harbor was made after the T&T Salvage firefighting team verified the crew’s safety and determined that the situation was stable.

According to Captain Chris Culpepper, Captain of the Port, the anchoring is a pre-identified position in the Area Contingency Plan, which offers a stable environment and reduces the possibility of a fire re-flash. Salvors will stay on board to monitor the situation, and a safety zone of one mile has been formed around the ship.

The Coast Guard will order the Genius Star XI to head back offshore if any new heat-related dangers surface. After response operations are finished, an investigation into the fire’s cause is expected to begin. No oil leaks have been reported in connection with the event by Wisdom Marine Group, the ship’s owners.

Reference: AP News

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