The crew of the Hong Kong-flagged container ship, ASL Bauhinia, which exploded and caught fire in the Red Sea, have been rescued unharmed, maritime officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The vessel, owned by Shanghai-based Asean Seas Line and operated by Emirates Shipping Lines, was sailing 226km northwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, when the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning.
Reports indicate that the explosion and subsequent fire on the 2022-built 1 930 TEU containership were caused by hazardous cargo on board.
Despite the ship being in waters where Houthi militants have been targeting commercial vessels since November 2023, there is no evidence linking the group to this particular incident.
A maritime industry official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, confirmed that the ship’s 22-member crew – all of whom are Chinese nationals – abandoned the vessel and were successfully rescued.
At the time of the explosion, the ASL Bauhinia was operating on Emirates Shipping Lines’ Gulf Red Sea Connector service, en route from Jebel Ali to Aqaba, with a scheduled stop in Jeddah on 29 January before its expected arrival in Aqaba on 31 January.
The vessel is now adrift and continues to burn.
Lars Jensen, chief executive of Danish consultancy Vespucci Maritime, has warned that the situation could lead to a general average declaration, advising shippers with cargo aboard the ASL Bauhinia to review their insurance coverage.
He noted that initial indications suggested the incident had involved hazardous cargo, raising concerns about potential environmental impacts in the Red Sea region.
Authorities and shipping industry stakeholders continue to monitor the situation closely as efforts to assess and manage the incident progress.
The Red Sea is a vital corridor for global trade, with approximately $1 trillion worth of goods passing through annually before recent disruptions caused by Houthi attacks.
The ongoing conflict in Yemen has heightened risks for shipping routes in this area, prompting major shipping lines to reconsider their transit strategies.
As of now, there are no reports of injuries among the crew members or significant environmental damage resulting from this incident.
However, maritime experts are urging caution as investigations into the cause of the explosion continue. Source: Asia Shipping Media.
