'Small Fire' Aboard Antarctic Supply Ship
The Australian Antarctic Division said a small fire broke out on board a vessel used to resupply Australia’s Casey research station in Antarctica.
The fire was discovered around 7 a.m. local time on January 29, in a battery room above the bridge of Bahamas-flagged MPV Everest while the vessel was transiting back to Hobart following an Antarctic resupply trip.
The fire was quickly put out using handheld fire extinguishers, AAD said. There were no injuries.
AAD said the ship’s operator Maritime Construction Services (MCS) was notified and that the crew commenced an investigation.
Built in 2017 by Keppel Singmarine, the MPV Everest is an ice class, multipurpose construction vessel chartered by the Australian Antarctic program in the 2020/21 season while country's new icebreaking research and supply vessel RSV Nuyina is still under construction.
RSV Nuyina had been slated to make its first voyage to Antarctica for the 2020-2021 summer season, but its delivery was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ship commenced sea trials in November.
