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The crew of the German owned 2001 built fully cellular containership MSC FLAMINIA abandoned ship on 14 July 2012 after an explosion and fire in No.4 hold.

The incident to the heavily laden containership occurred in the North Atlantic (approximately 1,000 miles from the Canadian and UK coasts) during the course of a voyage from US ports of Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans, Houston and Fort Lauderdale for Antwerp, Felixstowe, Bremerhaven and Le Havre.

Tragically, it has been reported that the chief officer and an able seaman lost their lives. A further crew member remains missing. The remainder of the crew abandoned to the tanker DS CROWN who delivered them to Ponta Delgardo in the Azores.

Smit Salvage secured a Lloyd’s Form salvage contract to assist the abandoned and adrift casualty which remains on fire. Smit sub-contracted two fire-fighting tugs from Falmouth who are expected to arrive at the casualty’s last known position later today.

General Average is yet to be declared by owners.

We are instructed by insurers concerned with part of the containerised cargo in relation to Lloyd’s Form Defence and General Average / recovery issues.