Danish shipping giant Maersk has declared General Average on its vessel Marie Maersk after a container fire prompted a major firefighting operation last month. The 19,000-TEU containership is continuing its voyage and is expected to arrive at Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, on September 14.

Maersk confirmed it declared General Average on September 4 and has appointed Sedgwick Global Marine to manage the claims and payment process.

The company has asked customers and cargo owners to provide securities to ensure a quick release of their containers once the vessel reaches Malaysia. As per normal procedure under General Average, cargo will not be delivered until the required charges are secured.

For groupage customers, Sedgwick has urged freight forwarders to urgently provide full details of any LCL (less than container load) shipments so individual consignments can be identified without delays.

Cargo claims consultancy WK Webster has also advised that all cargo will likely be discharged in Malaysia, and that surveyors and fire experts are already standing by to inspect the boxes and investigate the cause of the fire.

The fire was first detected on August 13, when crew members noticed smoke coming from a forward cargo hold while the vessel was sailing off the coast of Liberia.

The crew began firefighting procedures immediately and worked to contain the blaze until external assistance could arrive. Within days, two tugboats equipped with firefighting systems reached the vessel and helped keep the flames under control.

On August 19, an expert firefighting team boarded the ship, and a day later, they began tackling the fire deep inside the hold located just ahead of the accommodation block.

Over the following days, the combined efforts of the crew and firefighters successfully extinguished the fire. Maersk later confirmed there was no environmental impact from the incident.

The Marie Maersk then resumed its voyage from Rotterdam to Malaysia. On August 31, the vessel made a scheduled stop at Cape Town, South Africa, for crew changes. During the stop, an additional captain joined the ship, while some members of the firefighting team disembarked.

Pictures taken from supply vessels that supported the firefighting operation off Africa did not show visible fire damage, but further checks are required.

The ship is now continuing toward Malaysia with all cargo onboard, though delivery will be delayed until the General Average process is completed.

A recent study from the World Shipping Council found that out of 77,688 containers inspected across seven locations, 11.39 percent showed problems.

The most common issues involved incorrect documentation, labeling, and placarding, while around one-third of cases had faults in stowage or securing cargo. Inspectors also found a smaller share of containers with damaged or inappropriate packaging.

Once the Marie Maersk arrives in Malaysia, Maersk, insurers, and experts will begin their investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Reference: mykn.kuehne-nagel

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