M.V. Wan Hai 503, the Singapore-flagged vessel that caught fire nearly 88 nautical miles off the Beypore coast in Kozhikode on June 9 is carrying flammable solids and liquids, its cargo manifest shows.
According to the cargo manifest, there are 157 containers with hazardous substances on the ship. They are flammable liquids, included in Class 3 of hazardous materials; flammable solids, which are part of Class 4.1; spontaneously combustible solids, which are part of Class 4.2; and substances either in liquid or solid form that can damage human health, which are part of Class 6.1.
The classification of hazardous materials is done by the International Maritime Organisation. The containers contain flammable resin solution, environmentally hazardous benzophenone, nitro cellulose with alcohol, flammable printing ink, among others. It also has 2,000 tonnes of marine oil and 240 tonnes of diesel, the list shows.
The presence of approximately 2,000 tonnes of fuel oil and 240 tonnes of diesel in tanks located adjacent to the fire zone on the ship increases the risk of operation. According to a situation report prepared by government agencies, the vessel remains adrift and unmanned for the second consecutive day, while it continues to emit smoke and flames from Bays 2 and 3 (port and starboard).
Fuel oil tanks located near the fire zone are a major concern for the agencies involved in the firefighting exercise as it has the potential for further fire escalation. Preliminary visuals and vessel plans indicate that the affected bays are situated adjacent to the side fuel oil tanks. It has also been confirmed that three fuel oil tanks are located near the present fire zone.
The vessel is drifting approximately at 1.0 nautical mile in a southerly direction posing imminent threat of explosion .
According to the report, the vessel remains afloat while the fire is actively burning in the forward cargo holds (Bays 2 and 3) and fire has spread aft, towards the accommodation area since morning. There has been no reports of water ingress or structural instability at this stage.
Due to the presence of hazardous cargo, firefighting operations are being done cautiously pending hazard verification and expert advice on appropriate extinguishing methods. The immediate concern remains containing the drift of the vessel away from the Indian coast and considering the magnitude of fire, connecting a towline will remain extremely challenging and alternative options are being considered with the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
Similarly, approximately 10–15 containers have been sighted adrift in a southeasterly direction by a Coast Guard aircraft. The estimated speed of drift is 1–1.5 knots. If unmitigated, these may reach the coast around June 12. The contents of the floating containers remain unknown, and their potential for hazard is still under assessment. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has undertaken responsibility to produce a drift forecast map and share alerts with coastal district administrations.
(with inputs from Thiruvananthapuram bureau)
Published – June 10, 2025 08:58 pm IST
