X-Press Godavari (2020) | Novatug Maritime Wiki

Classification

Incident Type: Fire
Severity: Low
Investigation classification: Less Serious Marine Casualty
Tug involvement: Yes
Tug mechanism: A firefighting tug assisted with boundary cooling.

Vessel Details

Field	Value
Vessel Name	X-Press Godavari
Vessel Type	Container
Flag State	Malta [MT]
IMO Number	9353735
Gross Tonnage	8971
LOA (m)	154.85
Breadth (m)	21.50
TEU	917
Year Built	2008
Owner/Operator	BS Marine Private Limited / Sea Consortium Pte. Ltd., Singapore
Crew Size	15

Incident Details

Field	Value
Date	2020-09-28
Location	Sandheads Anchorage, India
Coordinates	20°58.9′ N, 88°13.3′ E
Region	India
Fatalities	0
Injuries	0
Missing
Cargo Loss	Cargo in the burning container was damaged by fire.
Direct Damage	Damage to cargo in the burning container.
Economic Damage

Key facts

At about 07:30 local time on 28 September 2020, the master and chief officer saw smoke from a deck container in Bay 20 while the vessel was anchored at Sandheads.
The container was not declared as dangerous cargo under Special Provision 188 of the IMDG Code, and the crew initially did not know that it contained lithium-ion batteries.
The crew began boundary cooling soon after the smoke was detected and continued the response while seeking cargo information and assistance.
The vessel proceeded to Kolkata, where the container was unloaded and shore firefighters extinguished the fire.
The Transport Malta investigation records no reported injuries or fatalities and classified the occurrence as a Less Serious Marine Casualty.

Narrative

On the morning of 28 September 2020, during the 04:00 to 08:00 anchor watch, the chief officer and master observed smoke coming from a container on the main deck in Bay 20. The master raised the general alarm, and the crew mustered in accordance with the vessel’s fire contingency plan. Boundary cooling began within approximately ten minutes using four fire hoses.

The container had not been declared as dangerous cargo because it was shipped under Special Provision 188 of the IMDG Code. The crew therefore did not initially know its contents. After contact with the charterers, information received after 09:00 identified rechargeable torches and lithium-ion batteries in the container. The report states that the container held more than 7,000 kg of lithium-ion batteries.

Smoke intensified and flames were intermittently visible. The crew continued boundary cooling and added another hose. Attempts by Indian Coast Guard officials to board were unsuccessful because of the high swell. At about 22:00 on 28 September, a firefighting tug approached and assisted with boundary cooling. The tug stood down at 01:30 on 29 September after arrangements were made for the vessel to berth at Kolkata.

X-Press Godavari berthed at about 14:30 on 29 September, and the burning container was unloaded. Shore firefighters continued tackling the fire during the day. The investigation records damage to cargo and no reported injuries or fatalities.

Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit concluded that the probable cause was a short circuit in a lithium-ion battery, possibly caused by high temperatures inside the container. The report also found that the crew were unaware of the cargo contents and had no available means to extinguish the container fire directly, leaving boundary cooling as the viable shipboard response.

Sequence of events

Date/time	Event
2020-09-28 07:30 local	Smoke was observed coming from a deck container in Bay 20 while X-Press Godavari was anchored at Sandheads.
2020-09-28 shortly after 07:30 local	The general alarm was raised and the crew began boundary cooling.
2020-09-28 after 09:00 local	Charterer information identified rechargeable torches and lithium-ion batteries in the container.
2020-09-28 22:00 local	A firefighting tug approached and assisted with boundary cooling.
2020-09-29 01:30 local	The firefighting tug stood down as the vessel arranged to berth at Kolkata.
2020-09-29 14:30 local	X-Press Godavari berthed at Kolkata and the burning container was unloaded.

Contributing factors

Factor	Evidence status	Description
High temperature inside the container	Suspected	The investigation considered that voyage temperatures and exposure to direct sunlight may have increased the temperature inside the container, contributing to a battery short circuit.
Dangerous-goods information unavailable to the crew	Confirmed finding	The cargo was shipped under IMDG Special Provision 188 without being declared as dangerous cargo, and the crew did not initially know the container contents.
No direct means to extinguish the container fire	Confirmed finding	The vessel had no available means to flood the container and no dry-powder or carbon-dioxide capacity sufficient for a 40-foot container, so the crew applied boundary cooling.
Assistance available at the anchorage	Confirmed finding	The vessel’s location allowed a firefighting tug and later shore firefighters to assist, limiting the spread of the fire.

Investigation

Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit classified the occurrence as a Less Serious Marine Casualty. Its probable-cause finding was a short circuit in a lithium-ion battery, with possible high temperatures inside the container as a contributing mechanism. The report also identified the absence of direct container-fire extinguishing capability and the crew’s lack of information about the cargo contents. No safety recommendations were issued because the company and flag State had already taken safety actions.

References

Safety Investigation Report: MV X-Press Godavari