A fire broke out in the engine room of the 664 TEU container ship, Hua Hang 1, which is deployed on a China-Taiwan service.
Nineteen crew members were trapped on the vessel and were eventually rescued by the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) personnel.
The 2006-built Hua Hang 1 is owned and operated by Fujian Huarong Marine Shipping, which specialises in cross-straits routes.
The ship departed Suzhou Modern Terminals in Taicang, China, on 12 May and was due to arrive in Keelung, Taiwan, on 14 May. Midway through the journey, the fire broke out on the night of 13 May, while the ship was about 20 nautical miles northeast of Zhujiajian Island, Zhoushan.
The MOT’s East Sea rescue division was alerted and deployed a helicopter and an emergency unit to the scene. Chinese television footage showed two firefighting vessels spraying water at the Hua Hang 1.
The Hua Hang 1 crew members were transferred to the Donghai Rescue 112 ship, and brought ashore. All of them tested negative for Covid-19 and did not suffer any injuries. The East Sea rescue division is checking the incident spot for oil spillage, as well as inspecting the Hua Hang 1 for any damage.
A staff member at Fujian Huarong told Container News that the Hua Hang 1 is currently anchored off Zhoushan port and the company’s ship agency is arranging for repairs.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
