Containership explosion rocks Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port

A fierce explosion that happened on a containership has rocked Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port resulting in a large cloud of flame, Dubai Media Office reported.

The blast happened at about 11:55 p.m. (local time) on 7 July and could be seen, felt and heard across the city in the United Arab Emirates.

According to initial reports, the fire was brought fully under control some 40 minutes after the incident and the cooling process had started.

Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri said: “The fire in Jebel Ali Port broke out on board a small-sized container ship. No casualties were reported.”

An official told a local TV channel that the crew had managed to evacuate in time before the fire caused one of the containers to explode. 

“The ship was carrying 130 containers,” Lt. General Abdullah Al Marri, the commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, told Gulf News. 

“Three containers contained flammable materials. There are no explosives inside it or radioactive materials.”

Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, United Arab Emirates (UAE), confirmed in his official statement that the vessel in question is the Comoros-flagged containership Ocean Trader.

The 210 TEU boxship Ocean Trader is currently located at Jebel Ali Port after 26 days of a voyage that started at Port of Sharjah, UAE, Marine Traffic data show.

Al Mazrouei added that “the logistics and operational facilities of Jebel Ali Port have not suffered any damage, and the accident has not affected the movement of ships due to its distance from the main shipping line and the water channel in the port.”

Furthermore, Jebel Ali Port authorities stated that they are taking all the necessary measures to ensure the normal movement of ships in the port continues without any disruption.