Fire is believed to be contained.Vessel was near Prongs Reef light house when fire started. Seat of fire is believed to be in hold no. 3.
Coast Guard , Indian Navy  and ONGC vessels are engaged in fire fighting.

According to Truthdive.com Deputy Inspector General, Coast Guard (West), Manoj Vasant Baadkar stated “Some containers carry dangerous cargo, we call them HNS, hazardous noxious substances. The master of the vessel did not know the exact nature of the cargo, but we found that the ship was carrying petrol, inflammable gas and turpentine. There was an explosion deep in the cargo hold that caused the fire,”

Wonder how Master is not aware of Dangerous goods Containers and locations. No Manifest given to vessel after JNPT cargo operations??

IMDG Code requires each ship to carry a special list or manifest showing the details of dangerous goods and marine pollutants with stowage location. This is the requirement of SOLAS Chapter VII Part A Regulation 4.5   quoted below

Each ship carrying dangerous goods in packaged form shall have a special list or manifest setting forth, in accordance with the classification set out in the IMDG Code, the dangerous goods on board and the location thereof. A detailed stowage plan, which identifies by class and sets out the location of all dangerous goods on board, may be used in place of such a special list or manifest. A copy of one of these documents shall be made available before departure to the person or organization designated by the port State authority.

Who was the responsible person or organization having possession of above mentioned manifest? Why that was not immediately available to those involved in Emergency Response Measures? Why Master was not knowing the exact nature of cargo when vessel is required to have hazardous manifest and IMDG Code?

Many questions need answer to learn from this accident ;to take measures to prevent such accidents in future.

By shashi kallada

25 years in Merchant Shipping, Last 13 years working on Packaged Dangerous Goods Sailor, Ex Manager Global Dangerous Goods Maersk Line * Freelance Photographer *Amateur Cyclist

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