A Hamburg Sud container ship has been disabled by a fire that started in its engine room off Brazil.
The blaze on the 5,552-teu Monte Sarmiento (built 2005) began near the port of Paranagua on the morning of 23 June.
AIS data showed the ship as not under command on Monday.
The Portal Portuario website cited Brazilian maritime union Sindmar as saying the Brazil-flag vessel, owned and operated by Maersk-controlled Hamburg Sud’s subsidiary Alianca Navegacao e Logistica, suffered the fire in the turbine of the main engine, according to maritime workers.
Alianca told the union the ship’s contingency system had been activated and the crew would be fine.
Salvage & Wreck reported that the fire spread to containers on the aft deck.
A tug and a navy ship were in attendance after the Monte Sarmiento lost power. An MR tanker, Alterna Capital’s 50,000-dwt Jane S (built 2015) was also standing by to help the crew.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The seafarers on board quickly deployed the CO2 firefighting system. Some crew members later left the ship.
Alianca confirmed the fire was detected in the engine room.
“The fire was extinguished, there were no injuries, and all crew members are safe. The vessel was towed to anchorage in Sao Francisco do Sul,” the cabotage operator added.
The cause of the incident is being investigated and Alianca is in contact with the authorities, the company said.
The panamax had left Santos in Brazil on 22 June and was heading to Itapoa in the same country.
It has insurance cover from the Standard Club in the UK.
