Yantian Express cargo recovery makes further progress

Almost 200 containers identified as ‘most likely a total loss’ due to last-month’s fire on the Hapag-Lloyd vessel.

Efforts to recover containers from the fire-damaged Yantian Express have made further progress, with 198 containers identified as “most likely a total loss due to the fire”.

The container fire on the Hapag-Lloyd vessel Yantian Express started on 3 January and took several weeks to be brought under control. A fire broke out in one container on the deck of the 7,510-teu container ship on its way from Sri Lanka to Canada, spreading to additional containers.

Hapag-Lloyd said the Yantian Express  was currently alongside a berth in Freeport Bahamas, with the company still “in the process of diligently addressing all of the safety, logistical, operational, and other aspects arising from this casualty, and are pleased to report that significant headway has been made in that regard”.

Preparations have been underway with the local authorities, salvers and other interested parties to arrange for the discharge of all containers in the forward-most portion of the vessel, in which the fire occurred.

Hapag-Lloyd highlighted that Richards Hogg Lindley (RHL), as General Average (GA) and Salvage Adjusters, had provided the following update: “Based on his initial attendance, the GA Surveyor has identified 198 containers that were most likely a total loss due to the fire. He has also identified an additional 460 containers that were stored in the affected area that require inspection. Present indications are that the balance of cargo not shown in these schedules will not be damaged.

“Door-end inspections of the 460 containers will take place in Freeport, but we do not know at this stage when discharge operations or surveys will begin. We suggest that surveyors representing any of these 460 containers get in touch with the GA Surveyor.”

It said a list of all likely total loss and possibly damaged containers may also be found on the RHL website, adding: “Please note that if your container does not appear on the RHL lists referenced above, then it is strongly likely that it was not impacted by the fire and therefore any such container will not be inspected in Freeport.

“The cargo in the 198 containers that has been determined by RHL to most likely be a total loss will not be inspected and sent for destruction once off loaded from the vessel. We are in the process of formulating protocols for inspection as to the 460 containers designated by RHL, which will be distributed shortly.”

RHL said discharge of the containers was expected to commence at the end of last week at the earliest, adding: “Moreover, the disposition of the sound cargo remains under review and we will revert in that regard as well.”

Source: Lloyd’s