Yang Ming ship “YM Mobility” catches fire in massive container explosion in Ningbo

A massive explosion occurred on a vessel owned by Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp at the Beilun container terminal in Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Friday (9 August).

Yang Ming said after one of its cargo ships, YM Mobility, caught fire near the bow of the vessel at around 1.40pm, immediate fire fighting measures were taken and that the situation was under control.

“The cause of the incident is still under investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that an explosion occurred in a container loaded with dangerous goods on board,” the firm said in a statement. 

“According to the shipper’s declaration, the container was a reefer used as a substitute for a dry container, without requiring power connection.”

All crew members have safely evacuated. Huan Ming (Shanghai) International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Yang Ming Group, is actively coordinating with the authorities to manage the situation.

YM Mobility is currently deployed to Far East to/from Middle East service, CGX. 

In an updated statement by the firm on 10 August, Yang Ming said there were no visible flames on board, and cooling efforts with water sprays were ongoing. 

It added representatives from P&I Clubs, Classification Societies, and surveyors arrived on-site to coordinate with the authorities.

Following the incident, the Maritime Safety Administration of the People’s Republic of China issued a notice on 9 August that all units should strengthen the safety management of dangerous goods on board ships, with a focus on strengthening:

• the management of flammable and explosive packaged dangerous goods such as Class 1, 2.1, 3, 4.1, and 5.2, and 
• those requiring temperature control, bulk solid dangerous goods such as ammonium nitrate whose cargo temperature is not higher than 40°C during loading, bulk oils such as gasoline with a closed cup flash point below 60°C, 
• bulk chemicals whose liquid cargo tanks are required to be inerted or whose closed cup flash point is below 60°C as required by Chapter 17 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk, and bulk liquefied natural gas and other dangerous goods.

The authority also said all shipping companies should continue to improve the safety management system for dangerous goods on board ships, strengthen the management of dangerous goods booking, strictly review cargo safety technical information, and strengthen the management of safe operations during ship navigation, anchoring and operation. 

Photo credit: Screengrab from Weibo
Published: 12 August, 2024