N E W S L E T T E R

The vessel, named W-Sapphire, is a 751-foot (229-meter) merchant ship built in 2012 and sailing under a Liberian flag. It was transporting coal and was scheduled to arrive in Mauritius in about a month, according to marine tracking services.
At the time of the explosion, 23 crew members and two pilots were on board. The Baltimore Fire Department responded to a fire that broke out below deck, according to ABC News.
Impact on Port Operations
The incident forced the closure of Baltimore’s main shipping channel Tuesday morning. Officials said the US Coast Guard is now leading the investigation and will decide when it is safe to reopen the channel.
A 2,000-yard safety zone has been set up around the ship, and the fire has since been extinguished. Authorities are still working on plans for the vessel.
The Maryland Department of Emergency Management reported no property damage beyond the ship itself. Governor Wes Moore said his office is closely monitoring the situation.
Port History
The closure comes as Baltimore is still recovering from the March 2024 Key Bridge disaster, when the container ship Dali lost power, crashed into a support column, and destroyed the bridge. That tragedy killed six road workers and brought port operations to a halt for months.
See What You Need to Know >>
~Defensive Tool
You opted in to receive these emails when you requested information or purchased one of defensivetool.net products. You can Manage Subscription here if you do not want to receive these emails any longer. To help make sure we make it into your inbox, add support@defensivetool.net to your address book.
|