Wan Hai 503 Remains at Sea 10 Weeks Seeking Port of Refuge
Ten weeks after the fire was reported aboard the containership Wan Hai 503, the vessel remains at sea in search of a port of refuge. It has turned into the vessel no one wants, as India almost immediately said it would not permit its ports to receive the ship, and more recently, Sri Lanka declined the application made for the vessel’s refuge.
Owner/operator Wan Hai Lines issued its most recent update at the end of last week, reporting the vessel is stable and being monitored.
“We, in close coordination with our appointed experts and the salvage team, are in the process of liaising with potential ports of refuge,” reported Wan Hai. “Decisions on the final port of refuge will take into account the overall suitability for the vessel as well as the handling of fire-damaged cargo.”
The fire began on June 9 while the vessel was in India’s EEZ as it was sailing from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva, India. The Indian Coast Guard responded, assisting in the evacuation of the crew and an extensive firefighting effort. After salvage teams got secure tow lines, India, however, ordered the ship taken further out to sea, fearing a repeat of incidents such as the loss of X-Press Pearl and the ongoing problems after the MSC Elsa 3 sank weeks before the Wan Hai fire. As of July 24, India reported the vessel was outside its zone and that it was relinquishing involvement to the Maritime & Ports Authority of Singapore as the vessel’s flag state.
Conditions aboard the vessel had dramatically improved with no more flames and only residual smoke in bays 29 to 35. Twenty salvers were reported aboard the ship, continuing cooling efforts and undertaking dewatering efforts.
Conditions aboard as of mid-July (DGS)
Wan Hai has continually reported since the end of July that the fire is extinguished and that teams continue to improve the onboard situation. However, Hapag-Lloyd, which shared cargo aboard the ship, confirmed on August 13, “The request for a port of refuge in Sri Lanka has been declined by the authorities.”
They said the ship was 130 nautical miles from the Indian coast (Cape Comorin). The plan was to move it further out to sea while discussions continued on a port of refuge. This has continued, although the area is subjected to monsoons at this time of year.
There is no clear determination for the direction of the ship and a potential resolution. It has been suggested it might be towed to the Middle East. Last year, the Maersk Frankfurt, which suffered a container fire off the Indian coast, ended up gaining refuge at Khor Fakkan, in the UAE, in September 2024, about seven weeks after its fire started. That vessel, also, was not a constructive loss and returned to service.
Similar salvage efforts to what are required for the Wan Hai 503 were recently completed in the Port of Aberdeen, Scotland, after the Solong was towed there after the collision and fire in the North Sea. The hulk was cleared of its debris in Scotland and arrived last week at a recycling facility in Belgium.
Although a lot has been incinerated during the fire on the Wan Hai 503, the concerns raised continue to be about potential pollutants and the danger of the ship sinking.