Classification
- Incident Type: Fire
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Gunde Maersk |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Denmark [DK] |
| IMO Number | 9359014 |
| Gross Tonnage | 98,268 |
| LOA (m) | 366.89 |
| Breadth (m) | 42.95 |
| Year Built | 2008 |
| Main Engine Power (kW) | 61,776 |
| Owner/Operator | Maersk Line A/S / Maersk Line |
| Persons on Board | 24 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2015-12-08 |
| Location | Terminal 46, Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Region | United States |
| Coordinates | 47.6038, -122.3301 |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Direct Damage | USD 380,000 |
| Economic Damage |
Key facts
- The fire started at 0509 Pacific standard time on 8 December 2015 in auxiliary engine room no. 1 while Gunde Maersk was leaving its Seattle berth for Busan.
- The NTSB probable cause was an improperly installed fitting on the fuel line supplying the no. 3 cylinder fuel-injection pump on auxiliary engine no. 1.
- Fuel from a dislodged 1.5-inch O-ring sprayed toward exhaust components reported at approximately 575 to 850 °F and ignited.
- The high-pressure water-mist system extinguished the fire. Main propulsion was lost, the vessel anchored, and four tugs returned it to the pier.
- The NTSB report records USD 380,000 in property damage and no injuries. The report's narrative refers to 23 crewmembers, while its vessel particulars list 24 persons on board; this page preserves the latter as the reported vessel-particulars figure without treating the difference as resolved.
Narrative
Gunde Maersk arrived at Seattle's Terminal 46 on 7 December 2015 after a voyage from Long Beach. At 0502 Pacific standard time on 8 December, the containership was leaving the berth for Busan when a fire was detected at 0509 in auxiliary engine room no. 1. The alarm sounded, the affected engine shut down automatically, and the high-pressure water-mist system was activated. The report states that there was no loss of electrical power at the time of the fire.
The NTSB found that the crew had replaced O-rings in auxiliary-engine fuel piping after the vessel changed from heavy fuel oil to ultra-low sulfur marine gas oil for entry into the North American Emission Control Area. The replacement work was tested for ten minutes at idle, but not under normal operating flow. The NTSB concluded that a 1.5-inch O-ring in the fuel supply line to the no. 3 cylinder fuel-injection pump on auxiliary engine no. 1 became dislodged. Fuel sprayed onto hot exhaust-side components and ignited. The report identified the probable cause as an improperly installed fitting, likely not tightened with a torque wrench.
The fire team entered the space at 0523 and left at 0528. Loss of the auxiliary engine and generator, together with the associated automation systems, led to loss of main propulsion. Gunde Maersk anchored about a quarter mile from the berth at 0538, and four tugs returned the vessel to the pier. No injuries were reported. The NTSB recorded USD 380,000 in property damage and found no evidence that the fire was related to shipyard work.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2015-12-07 | Gunde Maersk arrived at Terminal 46, Seattle, after sailing from Long Beach. |
| 2015-12-08 05:02 | The vessel got underway from the berth for Busan. |
| 2015-12-08 05:09 | Fire was detected in auxiliary engine room no. 1; the alarm sounded and the engine shut down automatically. |
| 2015-12-08 05:23 | The fire team entered the space. |
| 2015-12-08 05:28 | The fire team left after the water-mist system extinguished the fire. |
| 2015-12-08 05:38 | The vessel anchored about a quarter mile from the berth. Four tugs later returned it to the pier. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Improperly installed fuel-line fitting | Confirmed finding | The NTSB identified this as the probable cause of the fire. |
| Post-repair testing at idle only | Reported | The company root-cause material described testing after the O-ring replacement at idle rather than under normal operating flow. |
| Fuel changeover and resulting leakage | Reported | Auxiliary-engine fuel leaks began after the change from heavy fuel oil to ultra-low sulfur marine gas oil, but the NTSB's probable cause was the improperly installed fitting. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board published Marine Accident Brief NTSB/MAB-16/24. Its probable-cause finding identifies the improperly installed fuel-line fitting. The report found no evidence that shipyard work or routine crew work, apart from the fitting installation, caused the fire.