‘SEAMLESS’ OPERATIONS AT JEBEL ALI PORT AFTER CONTAINER FIRE
Firefighters control the blaze on a cargo vessel within 40 minutes and rescue 14 sailors
Operations at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port are “running seamlessly” after an explosion on an anchored container ship.
The Jebel Ali Port authorities said they were investigating the cause of the fire on Wednesday night, which they said was brought under control within 40 minutes.
D P World, operator of the port, said the situation at the harbour was back to normal.
“The operations are running seamlessly at Terminal 1 and across Jebel Ali Port,” it said on Twitter.
“We take pride in the proactive efforts of our leadership, the dedication of the authorities & our team that ensured the safety of people and the continuity of business.”
Crews from five fire stations brought the blaze under control early on Thursday.
The authorities said the fire broke out as the Ocean Trader cargo ship carrying 130 containers was preparing to dock at one of the berths in the port, in the older Terminal 1 that is used only by small ships.
The fire began in a container that was marked as containing flammable material.
Abdullah Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said no fatalities were reported from the blaze and all 14 sailors were rescued.
There were minor injuries – described primarily as bumps and scrapes – as crew fled the ship and the area was evacuated.
Residents several kilometres away heard a loud bang and felt their walls shake shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
Images on social media showed a fireball visible from nearby Dubai Marina.
In Business Bay near Downtown Dubai, about 20 kilometres to the north-east, tenants heard a “double blast”, while in the Greens, about 6km from Jebel Ali, people felt their homes shake.
“I was outside on my balcony,” said intern Clemence Lefaix, who lives nearby and posted a photo of a bright orange light against the night sky in front of apartment buildings.
“My friend saw something yellow coming like the Sun. I took the picture and after [there was] a sound.”
The port authorities said Terminal 1, where the fire occurred, resumed normal operations early on Thursday morning. Terminals 2, 3 and 4, where big ships dock and offload their cargo, continued normal operations, even during the incident.
Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said rescue teams ensured there was no radioactive material on board.
“This robust response comes as a result of years of proactive planned preparation in developing world-class infrastructure in the ports and marine facilities in the UAE.”
Mr Al Mazrouei said the response of the teams and the availability of state-of-the-art equipment to tackle the blaze “ensured the resumption of all operational and logistical operations in Jebel Ali Port”.
He said the priority now was to safeguard the marine environment and prevent the release of harmful substances.
“The Maritime Department at the Ministry will continue investigations to gain insights and chart out a blueprint in co-ordination with the relevant international authorities to intensify precautionary measures.”
He said the logistics and operational facilities of the port “have not suffered any damage, and the accident has not affected the movement of ships due to its distance from the main shipping line and the water channel in the port”.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, said he was “very proud of our teams for the timely and professional way they handled the fire situation at Jebel Ali”.
“By implementing the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Dubai’s government has exceeded all expectations in responding to emergencies and crises.”
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, praised the response of the emergency teams following a visit to the port on Thursday.
D P World also thanked Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, Dubai Civil Defence and Dubai Police “for their swift response in resolving the fire incident within 40 minutes at Jebel Ali Port’s Terminal 1”.
Jebel Ali Port, at the southern end of the city, is one of the world’s busiest ports and has the largest artificial harbour.
There are 8,000 companies based at the Jebel Ali Free Zone, which contributed 23 per cent of Dubai’s gross domestic product last year.
It is the Middle East’s largest trade zone.
The authorities said the fire broke out as the ‘Ocean Trader’ cargo ship carrying 130 containers was preparing to dock