The Maersk-operated containership Laust Maersk has anchored off the Port of Charleston, South Carolina, after smoke was detected in one of its cargo holds while sailing from Charleston to Cartagena, Colombia, on 5 November.

The Hong Kong-flagged vessel, built in 2001 with a capacity of 4,258 TEU, reported the incident while en route and took immediate safety precautions.

The ship, weighing 63,000 deadweight tonnes (dwt), subsequently returned to anchor outside Charleston on 6 November, where it remains under inspection.

According to Maersk, the vessel is in a stable condition, and there have been no injuries among the crew.

The company stated that operational teams and local authorities are conducting detailed inspections and implementing safety protocols to assess the situation on board.

A Maersk spokesperson stated that the company is maintaining close coordination with the response team and relevant authorities.

Once inspections are completed and the port gives approval, the vessel will berth in Charleston to discharge the affected containers in compliance with safety regulations.

Maersk added that its teams are working to minimise disruption to customers’ logistics operations while the situation is being managed.

The Laust Maersk operates on a service route connecting Port Everglades, Newark, Baltimore, and Charleston in the United States with Cartagena, Colombia, and Manzanillo, Mexico.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the smoke as the vessel remains anchored off Charleston under observation.

Reference: India Seatrade News