A Maersk container ship ceased operations near the Canary Islands on Monday November 1, 2016 due to a fire that started on board, reported Fleetmon.
The Maersk Patras, a 30,000 gross tonnage container vessel which is Singapore-flagged, sent a distress signal as it drifted around 90 nautical miles off the Canary Islands; the ship was on its way to Conakry, Guinea.
A tug was sent to rescue the ship around one in the morning on Tuesday November 2, 2016; there are no reported causalities.
The cause of the fire is still a mystery, PTI will report any developments.
Another fire broke out on Monday November 1, 2016 at a controversial shipbreaking yard in Pakistan, leaving 17 people dead and many more injured; Maersk has recently come under criticism for encouraging the use of these dangerous shipbreaking yards with its decommissioned ships.
Maersk Line has recently reopened its services to Iran, which has recently had its trade restrictions lifted, it is hoped that the new market will relieve some of the oversupply which is causing a massive industry slump, alleged to have caused the collapse of Hanjin Shipping.
