Egypt’s ministry of petroleum and mineral resources said on Wednesday that a fire on the Liberian-flagged container ship 68126-dwt Pumba was extinguished with no casualties reported.

The ministry said in a statement it received an emergency alert from the marine control room in Ras Ghareb reporting a fire in the engine room of the container ship.

It swiftly coordinated with relevant authorities to assist in firefighting and rescue operations, the ministry said.

The vessel was towed to a safe anchorage area, away from operational zones and vital navigation routes, it added.

The claims specialist WK Webster has received reports that the container ship Pumba (IMO: 9302566) experienced a fire in a position approximately eight nautical miles northeast of Ras Ghareb, Egypt on July 29.

According to WK Webster, the fire was extinguished, and the 2006-build vessel was later taken under tow by tug to anchor at Ras Ghareb, where it currently remains, for inspection, and possibly, repairs.

The claims specialist WK Webster warns now that possible general average/salvage and recovery issues may arise as a result of this casualty.

Shipping Telegraph cannot independently verify the ministry’s report about the cause of the incident.