Update: Fire-stricken Maersk Elba en route to Algeciras

Maersk Elba, a Neopanamax containership that suffered engine failure off Portugal after a fire onboard several days ago, is now being towed to the Port of Algeciras in Spain, Portuguese National Maritime Authority (AMN) said.

Two tugs are towing the 2011-built boxship. The Portuguese Navy patrol vessel NRP Cassiopeia is also accompanying the ship until it leaves the country’s territorial waters.

“As a result of the work carried out to restore the ship’s propulsion and repair other systems affected by the fire, it was concluded that the safety conditions were not met for the ship to sail by its own means,” AMN informed, adding that experts and the shipowner decided to transfer Maersk Elba to a shipyard in Algeciras.

To remind, the 13,092 TEU ship lost power following a fire in the engine room while it was en route to the UK from Sri Lanka on 26 December. The vessel’s crew extinguished the fire on their own and notified local authorities.

The ship was then towed to the anchorage some 3.7 kilometres off Sagres to undergo inspection and initial repairs.