WAN HAI 503

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Fresh fire broke out on board

Towing operations of the 'Wan Hai 503' were temporarily suspended after a fresh fire broke out on board. The blaze was detected again on July 4 , and as of July 5 morning, operations remained on hold. This has left the ship’s relocation to the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka uncertain until the fire is fully extinguished. The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is now considering moving the ship to a port in an African country. With the help of the tug 'Advantis Virgo’, about 12,000 litres of a chemical mixture have already been used to douse the fire. Around 3,000 litres of the mixture remained. Authorities are trying to procure additional chemical supplies from Singapore, if necessary. The Directorate General of Shipping has identified undeclared goods in 243 containers and suspected this may be the reason for the recurring fires despite intensified rescue efforts The 'Wan Hai 503' was positioned 3.5 nautical miles south of the 200-nautical mile boundary.

15 salvors searched for missing crew member

Following a brief improvement in weather conditions on July 2, a 16-member salvage team successfully boarded the 'Wan Hai 503'. Their immediate priorities included conducting a thorough search for the missing crew member within accessible areas of the casualty. No signs of the missing person were discovered. The salvage team has activated five pumps onboard, dewatering both the engine room and the affected cargo holds. This has led to a significant reduction in engine room water levels, by approximately 3.5 metres, reducing the vessel's overall draft and providing a safer operational environment. The visible fire onboard has largely been contained, with only light smoke emanating forward of the accommodation block and from cargo hold no. 4. No active flames have been observed in the most recent operations. Continuous hull and hold temperature monitoring was being carried out using thermal imaging to assess structural heat stress and potential flare-ups. Additionally, the application of approximately 9000 litres of Pyrocool firefighting agent has been completed, effectively reducing hotspot temperatures, particularly in cargo hold no. 4, where maximum recorded temperatures have now fallen to 64°C on the port side and 68°C on the starboard side. The 'Offshore Warrior' remained the primary towing platform, maintaining the vessel’s position outside the EEZ. The 'Saroja Blessings', 'Saksham', 'Water Lily', 'SCI Panna', and the recently deployed tug 'Virgo' were engaged in critical support operations including boundary cooling, material transfer, thermal imaging, and personnel rotation. The firefighting team has shifted focus to localised boundary cooling operations using hatch-cover mounted arrangements to target specific heat-affected zones. Approximately 6000 litres of Pyrocool remained in reserve for any escalation, with an additional supply pre-positioned in Singapore for rapid deployment. CO₂ injection into cargo hold no. 5 has been initiated to suppress internal smouldering, with two further CO₂ discharges kept ready if required. In parallel, the salvage team has commenced ventilation of starboard side tunnels to reduce hazardous gas concentrations, allowing safer forward access and potential operations on the bow. Preparations were ongoing to rig a Dyneema towline on the bow as an alternative towing arrangement, providing flexibility should existing tow connections be compromised. Furthermore, replacing the current soft towlines with steel or Dyneema ropes remained a high priority, subject to operational windows and prevailing sea conditions. The 'SCI Panna' continued to provide coastal support within India’s jurisdictional limits. The cargo hold no. 4 continued to have elevated temperatures (approx. 64°C port side, 68°C starboard side) and ongoing smouldering of cargo, including plastic resin containers. Hold no. 5 starboard side showed localized high temperatures but remaineds contained following CO2 release. The engine room remained partially flooded, with water ingress suspected from cargo holds. Pumping efforts were steadily reducing water levels, and full dewatering was prioritised, weather permitting. The missing crew search remained ongoing in accessible areas. High winds and swells were intermittently limiting operations; however, salvage crews have maximized available weather windows for critical tasks. A detailed Port of Refuge proposal was under preparation for submission. Vessel stability assessments, bunker and ballast soundings, and ventilation of enclosed spaces continued in parallel to ensure readiness for further movement. The situation required continued focus on dewatering, fire containment and formalizing safe entry into a Port of Refuge. All government agencies, remained engaged in ensuring environmental protection, safety of life, and mitigation of escalation risks. Report with photo: https://www.worldcargonews.com/shipping-logistics/2025/07/wan-hai-503-fire-smouldering-engine-room-pumping-underway/

Engine room dewatering has commenced

On June 30, the 'Wan Hai 503' was in pos. 07°52.60' N, 074°50.09' E, maintaining a steady course of 290° with a speed of 0.8 knots, approximately 130 nautical miles off the Indian coastline, outside the EEZ boundary. The vessel's drift remained controlled through coordinated towing operations. Light smoke continued to emanate from the area forward of the accommodation block, indicating residual smouldering within cargo hold no. 4, though no visible flames have been reported. Structural evaluations indicate localized heat-induced buckling between Frames 103–113; however, independent assessments by T&T Salvage, DNV, and naval architects confirmed that the vessel retains structural strength and remained stable. Dewatering operations commenced at 0730 a.m. with four pumps (150–250 m³/hour each) deployed to remove water from the flooded engine room. Dewatering operations were ongoing with five pumps actively discharging water from the flooded engine room and interconnected compartments. The source of water ingress was suspected to be linked to interconnected compartments between the engine room and cargo hold no. 3. The water quality remains relatively stable, with minimal oil traces, suggesting no significant new ingress. The multi-agency response continues with effective resource deployment on-site. The 'Water Lily' has been engaged in personnel and material transfers, successfully receiving salvage equipment from ‘the 'Saroja Blessing' earlier the day. The '‘Saksham'’ remained prepared for further support, and ‘the 'Saroja Blessing was on standby for firefighting and material supply operations. Salvage teams on board the vessel has resumed equipment installation and pump operation, with five pumps now functioning continuously to extract water. ‘The 'Offshore Warrior' wais maintaining towage operations, keeping the vessel clear of the Indian EEZ, with current power utilisation at 75%. Preparations were in place to maintain uninterrupted dewatering overnight. The salvors aimed to stabilise internal flooding to facilitate safe boarding and enable further fire suppression measures, including enhanced boundary cooling and application of additional firefighting agents as weather permits. Additional assets, including ‘the 'Atlantis Virgo' and ‘SCI Panna’, were en route to the site with firefighting equipment and Pyrocool (7000 litres), expected to enhance fire suppression efforts within the next 24 hours. Preparations for continuous overnight pumping operations are were , with emergency evacuation plans in place to ensure personnel safety during night-time activities. The intention is to sustain 24/7 dewatering using both hydraulic and submersible pumps, supplemented by emergency power from the vessel's own systems and portable generators. The sustained operation of five pumps has shown positive results in managing engine room flooding, but full dewatering remains essential to assess damage to machinery spaces and restore emergency power systems. Over 5,000 cubic meters of water were successfully pumped out from the flooded engine room, reducing water levels by approximately 1.75 meters. Further attempts to access the forward sections of the vessel for additional firefighting and structural assessment will be undertaken once dewatering sufficiently reduces on board risks. The Port of Refuge discussions remained focused, where positive initial engagements have occurred. Formal submission of the required document package to authorities is in progress, though final approvals were contingent upon demonstrating thevessel'sstability, extinguishment of smouldering, and safe dewatering. Alternative ports options remained under evaluation. The vessel remained in a high-density shipping corridor, necessitating continuous traffic warnings to passing vessels. The Directorate has directed enhanced navigational warnings to prevent incidents in this critical route between Sri Lanka and the Gulf of Aden. Indian Coast Guard assets continued to provide aerial surveillance and maritime monitoring, with readiness to intervene if necessary. Continuous inter-agency coordination, including with MPA Singapore, ITOPF, and Indian authorities, is ongoing to manage the situation effectively and prevent environmental or navigational hazards. Offshore oil removal remains unsafe under current conditions, with preferred options being defueling alongside a wharf at a Port of Refuge. The salvage team continued the preparations to transition from soft to wire towlines, advance dewatering, and monitor the vessel's integrity.