Fire contained aboard ‘Mar del Cabo’ at Walvis syncrolift

A fire broke out aboard the vessel ‘Mar del Cabo’ on Sunday afternoon while docked at Namport’s syncrolift in Walvis Bay, prompting an urgent response from emergency services.According to the Namibian Ports Authority, the incident occurred just before 15:00. A total of 12 officers, supported by the Walvis Bay municipality fire brigade and ambulance services, responded to the emergency call. Upon arrival, the vessel was already engulfed in flames, concentrated primarily in the engine room.Emergency crews deployed foam to suppress what was described as a "liquid fire", while a second team undertook boundary cooling operations from the outside of the vessel to prevent the spread of the blaze and reduce internal temperatures.The fire was successfully brought under control shortly after 18:00. There were no injuries reported, and damage was confined to the engine room and other internal compartments of the vessel.Investigation underwayPreliminary investigations indicate that the fire was caused during hot works conducted on the ballast tank.“The tank had not been fully cleaned of flammable liquids,” Namport’s marketing and stakeholder engagement manager Cliff Shikuambi said. “During cutting exercises, residual fuel ignited due to heat transfer via radiation or conduction to the engine room.”Shikuambi confirmed that a more detailed investigation report will be released.“We are grateful to all the responding teams. Their swift and coordinated efforts ensured the fire was contained without injury and without further damage to nearby infrastructure,” he said.Operations at the syncrolift have resumed with safety precautions in place.

Fire contained aboard ‘Mar del Cabo’ at Walvis syncrolift

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-20

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Fire contained aboard ‘Mar del Cabo’ at Walvis syncrolift

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-20

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