Classification
- Incident Type: Fire
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | LUDWIGSHAFEN EXPRESS |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Germany [DE] |
| IMO Number | 9613018 |
| Gross Tonnage | 142295 |
| LOA (m) | 366.52 |
| Breadth (m) | 48.35 |
| Owner/Operator | Hapag-Lloyd AG |
| Year Built | 2013 |
| Crew Size |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2016-02-21 |
| Location | Northern part of the Red Sea |
| Coordinates | 24.008333, 36.585000 |
| Region | Red Sea |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Cargo Loss | Cargo destroyed in one container; two other containers flooded |
| Direct Damage | Cargo was destroyed in one container and two other containers were flooded; neither the ship nor other cargo was damaged. |
| Economic Damage | |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost |
Key facts
- On 21 February 2016, while sailing from Singapore to Le Havre through the Red Sea, the crew detected smoke from a container carrying bulk charcoal.
- The fire was first noticed at about 16:30 local time in a container on the upper deck of bay 70, in cargo hold 9.
- The crew used sea water, infrared temperature measurements, and fognails to cool and flood the affected containers.
- Cargo was destroyed in one container and two other containers were flooded; the ship and other cargo were not damaged.
- The BSU concluded that the charcoal could self-heat despite passing the applicable small-scale UN N.4 preliminary test.
Narrative
On 21 February 2016, LUDWIGSHAFEN EXPRESS was sailing from Singapore to Le Havre through the northern Red Sea. At about 16:30 local time, an able seaman noticed smoke rising from a deck container during an inspection of refrigerated containers. The chief officer verified the smoke, and the master sounded the general alarm at 16:40. The container was in the upper-deck stowage of bay 70, in cargo hold 9.
The crew isolated nearby electrical power and fans, checked the cargo information, and found that the container carried charcoal. Cooling with seawater began at 16:57. At 17:03, two crew members wearing breathing apparatus inserted a fognail to flood the container. An adjacent container showed elevated temperature at 17:20, and it was also fitted with a fognail. Later, the crew opened the first container, found bulk charcoal still glowing, and washed the cargo overboard. The report records that the fire was extinguished after the cargo was removed and temperatures fell. Cargo was destroyed in one container and two containers were flooded; neither the ship nor other cargo was damaged, and no injuries or environmental damage were reported.
The BSU investigated the casualty under report references 455/15 and 58/16. It concluded that charcoal can self-heat during extended transport in large quantities and that the UN N.4 preliminary test did not adequately account for the volume of cargo. The BSU also noted that the charcoal had not been declared as dangerous goods because it had passed the preliminary test, and recommended changes to IMDG Code treatment, stowage accessibility, and cargo-information procedures.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2016-02-21 16:30 local | A crew member noticed smoke rising from a deck container carrying charcoal. |
| 2016-02-21 16:40 local | The master sounded the general alarm and the crew mustered for firefighting. |
| 2016-02-21 16:57 local | The crew began cooling the container and its surroundings with seawater. |
| 2016-02-21 17:03 local | Crew members inserted a fognail into the affected container. |
| 2016-02-21 17:20 local | An adjacent charcoal container showed elevated temperature and was also fitted with a fognail. |
| 2016-02-22 00:54 local | The glowing charcoal had been washed out of the first container and the fire was extinguished there. |
| 2016-02-22 05:35 local | Temperature measurements showed no further increase; a fire watch continued while cooling was maintained. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Self-heating charcoal cargo | Confirmed finding | The BSU concluded that charcoal in large quantities can self-heat during extended transport and that this process caused the fire. |
| Inadequate preliminary test for large cargo volume | Confirmed finding | The UN N.4 preliminary test did not sufficiently account for the volume of charcoal carried in large sea containers. |
| Cargo not declared as dangerous goods | Confirmed finding | The charcoal had passed the preliminary test and was not declared as dangerous goods, so the ship's command was not aware of its exact contents or self-heating risk. |
Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU) investigated the casualty in report references 455/15 and 58/16, covering charcoal cargo fires on LUDWIGSHAFEN EXPRESS and MSC KATRINA. For LUDWIGSHAFEN EXPRESS, the BSU found that self-heating charcoal caused the fire and that the crew's early detection, experience with fognails, accessible deck stowage, and absence of nearby flammable cargo enabled successful firefighting. The BSU recommended revisions to IMDG Code treatment and cargo-information and stowage practices.