MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is taking the unusual step of covering costs related to the fire on board the Maersk Elba in order to avoid General Average.
The Maersk Elba was carrying cargo for MSC customers when it suffered an engine room fire that left the ship disabled off Portugal on December 26. The fire was extinguished and the vessel was able to anchor about 2 miles off the coast of Sagres before tugs eventually towed it to Algeciras, Spain.
The Maersk Elba is operated by Maersk, MSC’s partner in the 2M Alliance vessel sharing agreement. It was operating on MSC’s Shogun Service connecting Asia with North Europe and was underway from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Felixstowe in the U.K. at the time of the fire.
MSC to cover costs related to Maersk Elba fire January 19, 2021, by Naida Hakirevic
Swiss shipping major Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has decided to cover the costs associated with the fire on board the containership Maersk Elba so that the vessel operator will not declare General Average. At the time of the incident, Maersk Elba was carrying cargo for MSC customers as part of the Shogun-Pearl service.
“This decision was taken to avoid additional costs or delays for our customers as a result of this incident,” MSC said in a customer advisory.
To remind, the Denmark-flagged boxship suffered the fire in late December 2020 while en route from Suez to Felixtowe.
Hapag-Lloyd: Far East Loop 6 (FE6) – Fire on Maersk Elba
We have been informed by Maersk that there has been a fire on the Maersk Elba, Voyage 047W.
The vessel is currently located in Algeciras, Spain. The estimated repair time in Algeciras is 14 days. After that, the vessel will proceed to Wilhemshaven, Germany for further repairs.
All reefers have been discharged in ALRTM for onward connection.
Maersk Elba has called ALRTM for discharge of all reefers
– ROT reefers were connected on CAP SAN Augustin ALR inducement
– FXS reefers were connected on CAP SAN Augustin to LGP
– BRV reefers have been loaded on Magleby Maersk to BRV
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The Maersk Elba is under tow to the Port of Algeciras following an engine room fire that left the ship disabled just off Portugal’s southern coast.
The fire broke out December 26 as the containership was underway from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Felixstowe in the U.K.
According to Portugal’s National Maritime Authority, an alert was received through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisboa) reporting that a ship was adrift and without propulsion due to a fire in the engine room.
The fire was contained and extinguished without injury to the ship’s crew and the vessel was able to anchor 2 miles off the coast of Sagres, the AMN said.