Fire Aboard US-flagged Car Carrier

A car carrier vessel has suffered a fire on one of its decks, approximately 40 miles off Harwich, the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported.

 

The U.S. flagged ship, Courage, reported the fire to the U.K. Coastguard at Dover Maritime Rescue Coordination Center just before 10 p.m., June 2.

 

Using an inbuilt CO2 system to, crew members flooded a large area to put the fire out and continued their journey. The situation is currently contained.

 

A Dover Coastguard RAF Wattisham helicopter was on standby, but was not needed. 

 

The vessel is now coming to Southampton where it is being monitored by the National Maritime Operations Center, MCA said. Experts from Hampshire Fire and Rescue service have been winched aboard to assess the situation, examining where the CO2 was used to make sure it is safe for the pilot to get through to take the vessel alongside in Southampton.

 

Counter-pollution staff from the MCA are monitoring the situation but say it is all contained.