Containers of lithium-ion batteries, falsely reported as ‘spare parts’, started a fire on a cargo ship owned by China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) Shipping based in China.
Boxes holding the batteries were destroyed and surrounding containers damaged in the fire on-board COSCO Pacific on 6 January.
The containers, bound for India, were operated by Taiwan-based shipping firm Wan Hai Lines, according to COSCO. The ship was sailing out of Port Klang, Malaysia.
The ship was docked in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with all burnt and damaged containers offloaded as of 9 January, officials monitored the containers as fire safety checks were undertaken.
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code states that batteries, regardless of the chemistry they use are characterised as dangerous goods and as such have to be declared properly in order to be stored correctly and avoid a fire hazard.
