Fire Erupts After Boxship Hits Gantry Crane in Port Said

Suez Canal Container Terminal A fire broke out at Egypts Port Said last night after a container ship hit a gantry crane while leaving the ports terminal, according to local media. The cranes boom collapsed onto several containers on the berth around midnight local time, May 2, triggering the fire, the reports state. Some sources indicate that the fire was caused by the crane boom hitting a fuel tank, while other sources suggest that some of the containers damaged in the accident were carrying flammable cargo. Around 20 containers were damaged by flames, and four people were reportedly injured during the incident. The Port Said Authority and the Suez Canal Authority intervened in order to put the fire under control. The flames were tackled by fire trucks and by tugs which managed to contain the fire in the early morning hours of May 3. The boxship involved in the accident is identified by several sources as the 13,092 TEU Cosco Hope. The 2012-built, 366-meter long vessel is still anchored at Port Said, according to AIS data. The vessel did not suffer any significant damage. The Port Said Authority have not yet responded to World Maritime News inquiries about the accident. World Maritime News Staff