Towline set up; effort on to tow Wan Hai 503 away from Kerala coast

The Navy on Friday used a Seaking helicopter to insert three salvors onboard the Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, which has been on fire since June 9 following an explosion off the coast of Kerala. The salvors established a towline between the burning ship and the tug Offshore Warrior.

The Navy on Friday used a Seaking helicopter to insert three salvors onboard the Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, which has been on fire since June 9 following an explosion off the coast of Kerala. The salvors established a towline between the burning ship and the tug Offshore Warrior.

While the fire aboard the ship was largely brought under control, it continued to drift and was approximately 30 nautical miles from the Kerala coast. A communication from the Directorate General of Shipping stated that the fire onboard remained active, primarily located in the midship section of the vessel, generating dense chemical fumes.

Although much of the cargo had been consumed by fire, making the vessel lighter, this reduction in weight increased the risk of rapid drift or uncontrolled movement towards shallower waters, particularly under high wind conditions, according to the situation report.

Besides Offshore Warrior, another tug was at the location with a standby rope to connect with the ship on Saturday morning. A third tug was expected to reach the site from Kochi on Friday night to augment towing efforts, with the aim of towing the ship away from the coast into deeper waters.

Meanwhile, foam and dry chemical powder stocks were replenished and pre-positioned for immediate use at sea and onshore, ensuring uninterrupted firefighting capability. Authorities along the State’s coast maintained hospital readiness, kept ambulances ready, and pre-positioned fire tenders at designated coastal locations.

These arrangements, it was maintained, would ensure a rapid response should the vessel drift into coastal waters and grounding occur. Based on current estimates, if the vessel moved within 10-15 kilometres of the coastline, approximately seven to eight hours’ notice would be available before potential grounding, allowing for timely deployment of emergency measures.

The situation remained sensitive and volatile, with multiple risk factors converging as the vessel drifted under deteriorating weather conditions. While the present drift showed temporary movement away from the Kochi coast, any shift in wind, current, or sea state could quickly alter the vessel’s trajectory towards the shoreline. The identified risk zone remained concentrated between the Kochi and Alappuzha sectors, the report said.