Wan Hai 503 Moved Beyond Indian EEZ Amid Ongoing Fire and Structural Concerns

The containership Wan Hai 503 (IMO: 9294862) has been moved farther into the open ocean after persistent fire and unfavorable weather conditions forced Indian authorities and the salvage team to reposition the ship. The incident, which began with a fire on June 9, has now entered its fourth week with the fire still burning in one of the cargo holds.

Structurally Compromised

According to India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), Wan Hai 503 remains in a “structurally compromised but stable” condition.

The primary concerns are a persistent smoldering fire in Cargo Hold No. 4, flooding in the engine room, and worsening weather.

“High winds and swells have severely limited boarding operations, complicating firefighting and dewatering efforts,” the DGS reported.

Salvage crews have managed to pump out approximately 500 to 800 cubic meters of water using portable equipment. However, the stern still sits low in the water, and the vessel is listing toward port. Despite these issues, they estimate the ship retains about 76 percent of its structural stability in relation to allowable sea forces.

Fire Still Burning in Cargo Hold

Cargo Hold No. 4 continues to burn, with collapsed deck structures and cargo holds oxygen to the fire. The situation is further complicated by collapsed containers onboard the Wan Hai 503.

Boundary cooling operations remain underway, with monitoring continuing to indicate elevated temperatures in Cargo Hold No. 4. Additional firefighting supplies were scheduled to arrive on June 30 to support ongoing fire suppression efforts.

The hope is to conduct further dewatering, but an attempt to board the ship on Saturday, June 28, was aborted due to dangerous conditions.

According to the Directorate General of Shipping, the area is experiencing moderate to rough seas, with winds between 25 and 28 knots and gusts reaching up to 42 knots during squalls.

Towage Operations Continue

The vessel was taken about 130 nautical miles west of the Indian coastline and was expected to exit India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over the weekend, weather permitting. The salvage tug Offshore Warrior (IMO: 9315109 ) has attached two soft towlines and is towing the vessel at approximately 2.9 knots. There are plans to install wire towlines once weather conditions improve.

Reduced Indian Involvement Ahead

India has denied port refuge for the fire-damaged vessel. Although Colombo (LOCODE: LKCMB) in Sri Lanka was considered as a potential refuge, clearance is still pending.

Once the vessel exits the Indian EEZ, further action will be led by the private salvage firm contracted by the ship’s owner. Indian’s Directorate General of Shipping stated that their involvement will be reduced while running routine updates to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, which is the flag state authority for Wan Hai 503.