Wan Hai 503 rescue efforts amid fears of more explosions

The container ship Wan Hai 503 on fire (Photo: Indian Coast Guard)

The Indian Coast Guard said it was trying to tow the Wan Hai 503 away from the Indian coast to avoid an ecological disaster, as the ship burned for a fourth day.

The coast guard is concerned about the possibility of further explosions on the ship, which is carrying more than 2,000 tonnes of fuel oil and hundreds of containers of dangerous goods.

The Director General of the Indian Shipping Department has revealed that 157 containers on the Wan Hai 503 (capacity of 4,520 TEU) contained dangerous goods, and that there were explosives on board, posing a risk of further explosions and an unforeseeable impact on the environment.

Wan Hai has assigned salvage company T&T Salvage to tow the ship, but with the Indian Coast Guard still battling the blaze, attaching the towline has been difficult. The rescue team, which includes chemists expected to handle toxic chemicals from the fire, arrived at the scene of the disaster off Kerala on June 11.

Four crew members on board the Wan Hai 503, including two Taiwanese, an Indonesian and a Myanmar national, are still missing and are presumed dead. Of the 18 rescued crew members, two suffered serious injuries, including burns ranging from 35-40%.

There are reports that 50 containers fell from the Wan Hai 503 into the sea, although coast guard officials have only said that they have found about 10 to 15 containers adrift.

There are concerns that these containers, if they contain dangerous goods, could pose a fire or explosion hazard, as they could wash up on the Kerala coast today (June 12).

Wan Hai shipping line has not yet responded to Container News’ request for comment.

See more:

• COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Signs $310 Million Contract for Six Heavylift Carriers
• DHL Express Canada furloughs workers, adding to uncertainty for parcel delivery industry
• Congestion at European ports: Maersk decides to skip Rotterdam
• SITC Set Up Bavet Office, Dedicated to Serving Local Enterprises
• Firefighting efforts on Wan Hai 503, search for missing crew
• Container shipping market volatility to persist
• Container ship Wan Hai explodes off India, four crew missing
• International Shipping and Logistics Market Update - Week 23/2025 | Phaata
• Red Sea traffic rebounds by 60%
• Trans-Pacific rates soar as carriers push for GRI and US trade policy uncertainty
• Airlines slash cargo forecasts amid escalating trade war
• Mexico's largest port struggles with delays and container backlogs
• Container volume soars at Port of New York and New Jersey in April
• Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Launch New Service from China to the US
• IATA: Airline industry profits expected to grow slightly in 2025
• Container shipping profits and margins plunge in Q1
• 3rd VIETNAM INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS EXHIBITION (VILOG 2025) “Digital Transformation - Green Development of Logistics Industry”

Source: Phaata.com (According to Splash247)

► Find Better Freight Rates & Logistics Service Providers!