Pemex Works on Leveling Fire-Stricken Tanker Burgos

Pemex After the fire aboard the 40,263 dwt tanker Burgos was extinguished, the operator of the vessel, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company Mexican Petroleums (Pemex), launched the works on leveling the ship. The efforts in this second phase of operation on the tanker continued in the port area, where the vessel is currently located. A fence was placed with marine barriers surrounding the ship as a precautionary measure during the works, which were expected to be finalized yesterday. Loaded with more than 160 thousand barrels of gasoline and diesel fuel, Burgos ignited on September 24 while it was anchored off the coast of Boca del Rio, Veracruz. 31 crewmembers, which were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, were safely evacuated and transported to land. Pemex earlier said that an investigation would be launched to determine the exact cause of the incident. According to AIS data provided by MarineTraffic, the 2005-built tanker arrived to the Veracruz anchorage from the Mexican Port of Coatzacoalcos on September 23. World Maritime News Staff