A fire broke out aboard a UK-flagged container ship docked at Singapore’s PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal last Friday, triggering an overnight multi-agency emergency response. The blaze was successfully extinguished by Saturday morning, with no injuries or oil pollution reported, according to Ship & Bunker.
The Incident
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) received the alert at approximately 3:00 PM local time on Friday, April 11. The vessel involved was the Ever Lenient, a 9,466 TEU boxship registered under the UK flag. Authorities moved swiftly to contain the situation as firefighting operations stretched into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Multi-Agency Response
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) took the lead in battling the fire throughout the night. In a statement published on its website, the MPA confirmed that it deployed patrol craft to establish a seaward cordon around the vessel, while drones were used to provide aerial surveillance in support of the firefighting effort.
“SCDF continues to cool the area to ensure no residual heat remains,” the MPA stated.
Port Operations and Follow-Up
Despite the scale of the response, PSA Singapore confirmed that terminal operations at Pasir Panjang were not disrupted. PSA is now supporting the safe discharge of containers affected by the incident as part of ongoing follow-up efforts.
“PSA has implemented the necessary measures to ensure the safety of personnel and that port operations at Pasir Panjang Terminal remain unaffected,” the MPA noted in its statement.
Investigation Ongoing
The root cause of the fire has not yet been determined. As the MPA confirmed, “The cause of the fire is under investigation.” No further details regarding the origin or nature of the blaze were provided at the time of reporting.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: Ship & Bunker
