by Lloyd's List
21 May 2025 (Lloyd's List) - MAERSK has confirmed that an 8,500 teu containership, which was disabled by an engine room fire in late-April, is expected to arrive at a port of refuge in the Bahamas today, May 21.
The 2004-built Maersk Sana (IMO: 9289922) was on a regular liner service from Port Newark to Singapore when Norfolk Rescue Co-ordination Centre received a report, on April 30, that the vessel was disabled and adrift 254 nautical miles east of Bermuda.
The Maersk-owned and -operated ship is understood to have suffered an engine room explosion, and subsequent fire, which resulted in severe burns to three crew members. One of the crew members suffered serious injuries and was later transferred to a hospital on the US mainland.
The Sea1 Offshore-owned anchor handling tug supply vessel Sea1 Ruby (IMO: 9413444) was despatched from Bergen, Norway on May 4 to tow the vessel.
According to its AIS transmission, the 7,500 gt AHTS reached Maersk Sana early on Friday, May 16, after bunkering at Ponta Delgada, in the Azores.
“A tug is towing Maersk Sana to a port of refuge in the Bahamas where she is expected to berth later today. The crew member who was transported to a hospital in the US remains in stable condition and is receiving the best possible care,” said a Maersk spokesperson.
“As we always do in such cases, we will have an investigation into the incident. In the meantime, we are maintaining close dialogue with the relevant stakeholders.”
They added that Maersk remained in communication with its customers about mitigating impacts to their supply chains.
The Singapore-flagged post-panamax Maersk Sana is classed by Lloyd’s Register and operates on an Asia to US east coast, via the Panama Canal and the Cape of Good Hope, service.
