August 13, Colombo (LNW): The Government has announced that the shipping agent will be held responsible for any environmental damage and pollution caused by the explosion at Colombo Port on Sunday. The blast occurred on the MV MSC CAPETOWN III vessel at around 12:30 AM on August 11, near the Bay42 area of the port.
Following the explosion, all operational staff and crew members were swiftly evacuated. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) promptly mobilized its fire brigade, along with safety, medical, and security teams, to manage the emergency.
Due to the quick response of the Colombo Port’s fire department, the fire that ensued was successfully contained, preventing further harm to the vessel and the port. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported, and the situation remains under control.
The MV MSC CAPETOWN III, owned by a Geneva-based shipping company, had arrived from Singapore and was scheduled to unload 995 containers and load an additional 880 containers before the incident. Following the blast,
Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, instructed SLPA Chairman Dr. Keith Bernard to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion.
SLPA Chairman Keith Bernard revealed that only one hazardous cargo container was listed on the ship’s manifest and was stored above deck. However, the explosion occurred below deck, leading to an investigation to determine the cause. Approximately 60 containers, including the hazardous cargo, had already been discharged.
At midnight, an explosion occurred below deck on the MV MSC CAPETOWN III. The SLPA’s fire brigade, navigation team, and other officers acted promptly to bring the situation under control. By around 1:00 AM, the temperature below deck had risen to 101°C but was reduced to 40°C by Sunday morning through the use of CO2.
All staff and crew were evacuated immediately, and the fire was successfully extinguished. A detailed investigation is now underway to uncover the cause of the explosion. Bernard mentioned that there were about 100 containers below deck, mostly intended for transshipment to Tanzania and other African countries.
The 60 containers above deck had already been removed before the incident. The fire was contained with all available resources, and the ship’s lashing team ensured that everyone was safely evacuated.
