Wan Hai 503 container vessel ablaze off the coast of India

The Singapore-flagged Wan Hai 503 box ship continues to burn today, sparking serious environmental concerns along southern India’s Kerala coastline.

Four crew members are missing, while five of the 18 others, rescued by Indian maritime forces after abandoning ship, have serious injuries.

“Of the 22 crew members, 14 are Chinese, including six from Taiwan,” a spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in India tweeted. “Our gratitude goes to the Indian navy and Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue.

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According to preliminary reports, the blaze erupted after explosions on the 4,300 teu ship, en route from Colombo port (Sri Lanka) to Nhava Sheva port in India on a joint operation with Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen and Interasia Lines, according to available information.

The 2005-built Wan Hai 503 had some 650 containers on board, as many as 157 containing dangerous goods, generally falling under the IMDG category. Around 50 boxes fell overboard, sources said.

There has been a series of ship fires in the recent past: Maersk Frankfurt off the Indian coast in July 2024, MSC Capetown III in August 2024 at Colombo and YM Mobility at Ningbo port in China, also in August last year, to cite a few examples.

Local industry sources have raised concerns that rampant misdeclaration of dangerous cargo loads is becoming an undeniable factor in the increasing number of ship fire incidents across the globe.

Carrier sources claim it is a daunting task for ship operators to ensure the accuracy of shipment data supplied by cargo owners.

“It’s really concerning that many shippers are misdeclaring cargo,” one source said. “Some shippers get blacklisted, but incorrect declarations remain a persistent issue.”

Another industry source said carriers have constantly highlighted the importance of proper or correct cargo declarations by shippers to prevent dangerous cargo risks.

“Unfortunately, a lot of misdeclarations continue to happen, but in this case (Wan Hai 503), only a detailed investigation report will tell us what caused the fire,” the source told The Loadstar.

Additionally, sources cited the growing incidence of maritime casualty cases involving Singapore-flagged vessels, signalling “a flag of convenience” approach by shipowners or carriers. The Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 remains adrift approximately 42 nautical miles off Beypore, Kerala, carrying 2,128 MT of fuel and hazardous cargo, posing an ongoing environmental risk.

The vessel initially experienced multiple explosions on Monday approximately 130 nautical miles northwest of Kochi, India, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Of the 22 crew members, 18 were successfully rescued from lifeboats, while four remain missing – including two Taiwanese nationals, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia.

The Indian Coast Guard reports they have largely contained the fire using air and sea assets, though inner decks continue to burn. Salvors have been winched aboard to aid in towing operations, but unfavorable sea conditions continue to hamper salvage efforts.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has coordinated additional support, with two fire-fighting vessels deployed by Indian authorities and the vessel owner. The Indian Coast Guard has mobilized four Coast Guard ships and aircraft to assist in the ongoing operations.

Environmental protection measures are being implemented as authorities monitor the vessel’s structural integrity. The cause of the explosions and the nature of the cargo in the affected containers remain undisclosed. By: The loadstar, Angelo Mathais, gCaptain, Mike Schuler