Panaji: The Indian Coast Guard said its efforts to prevent pollution and safeguard the marine environment after a fire hit a merchant navy ship off the Karwar coast entered its 10th day on Sunday.
A spokesperson of the maritime security agency said ICG ships are undertaking boundary cooling and extinguishing sporadic minor flames that erupt from time to time due to the initial incineration of sealed containers on the vessel.
The MV Maersk Frankfurt, a Panama-flagged cargo carrier, reported a major fire around 80 nautical miles west of Goa on July 19. It was carrying 1,154 containers, including some with dangerous goods like benzene and sodium cyanate, and was on its way from Mundra in Gujarat to Colombo in Sri Lanka.
The fire was doused, the Coast Guard had said earlier.
“ICG assets both at sea and air were tasked to undertake firefighting efforts and aid the distressed vessel. Of the 21 foreign crew, one Filipino national is missing. Others remain safe and are in good health. The vessel is structurally stable and remains operational,” the spokesman said.
Five Coast Guard ships, two ALHs (Advanced Light Helicopters) and a Dornier aircraft have undertaken multiple sorties as part of ‘Operation Sahayata’, the spokesperson said.
“More than 1,200 kg of Dry Chemical powder has been airdropped at the seat of the fire,” he said.
The spokesman said Operation Sahayata was launched to save lives onboard the vessel, ensure safety of property, and safeguard the marine environment from any aftereffects of the fire onboard the cargo carrier.
The Coast Guard has repositioned ICG Ship ‘Samudra Prahari’, a specialised pollution control vessel, since the commencement of Operation Sahayata to New Mangalore to take corrective measures in an unlikely case of pollution.
The specialised vessel is also equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System that enables it to engage in firefighting at a very close distance from the cargo carrier, he said.
“ICG has also undertaken two coordination meetings with DG Shipping, state administration, stakeholders, ports, salvage agency, ship owners and management to review the progress and find an early end to the crisis,” the spokesman said.
The situation is under control and “risk to the marine environment and coastal areas does not exist”, he said.
The vessel has both power and propulsion and is being kept at a distance of more than 24 nautical miles (India’s Contiguous Zone Limit) at all times.
“ICG is maintaining physical presence at the site with at least two offshore patrol vessels engaged in firefighting and operation coordination 24×7,” he said.
He said the Coast Guard’s specialised Pollution Response Team has been on standby since the commencement of the operation to respond suitably in the unlikely event of an oil spill.
“However, ICG’s pollution preventive stance has ensured that no risk exists to the marine environment and coastal areas of Karnataka from the fire onboard MV Maersk Frankfurt,” the spokesman added.
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