UPDATE: Ship to be moved into Table Bay PortA Port Control ships Pilot will be airlifted by helicopter to the ship and the ship will be moved to the Container Docks in the Port of Table Bay where they will be met by Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services who will board the ship to fight the blaze.Earlier an NSRI rescuer, Gavin Kode, was transferred onto the ship to make an evaluation and confirmed that no crew are injured and that they are continuing to fight a fire in hold number 2.Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, who were ferried to the ship by NSRI, have not boarded the ship.
ORIGINAL RELEASE:At 04h16 (Saturday, 28th September) NSRI Table Bay, Bakoven and Hout Bay's crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following reports from the container ship LILAC, at anchor at mooring number 2, 1 nautical mile off-shore of the Port of Table Bay, with 21 crew onboard, reporting a fire in one of their holds.
The ships Captain reported, via one of his officers, that his crew were fighting to contain the fire and that at this stage he was not declaring an emergency.
Our NSRI Table Bay, Bakoven and Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crews launched 4 of our sea rescue craft and responded to stand-by at the ship, as a precautionary measure and on the instructions of the Transnet National Ports Authority, in case the 21 crew members needed to be ferried to the ship (this can only happen on instruction of the ships Captain) or in case the decision was made for any of the crew members to abandon the ship and/or in case Fire and Rescue crews needed to be ferried to the ship.
On arrival on-scene light white smoke could be observed coming from the ship.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services have been placed on alert.
Until such time as the ships Captain declares an emergency or gives permission for rescue services to board his ship NSRI remain only on stand-by at the ship.
A ships officer reported that they were fighting the blaze with Co2 fire equipment.
At 07h28 the First Officer of LILAC confirmed to the JOC (Joint Operations Control at the Transnet National Ports Authority) that they would allow an NSRI rescuer and a Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services engineer onboard the ship to make an assessment.
Transnet National Ports Authority is requesting that the type of blaze be identified, any chemical fall out risk to be identified and then to assess the feasibility of having the ship brought to a mooring at Port where Fire and Rescue teams can board the ship to take over fighting the blaze and to contain the situation.
While at this stage only the ship itself, with rescue craft in the vicinity of the ship, can be observed from shore. The best vantage point is at the Pier at the Granger Bay side of the Port or any elevated position in the city itself (such as De Waal Drive). Media are advised that there is not much to observe. The ship is 222 meters with a blue hull, fully laden with containers.
Regular updates will be supplied.
Pic: Gavin Kode
