Wan Hai 503 - IMO: 9294862
Overview
Wan Hai 503 is a Singapore-flagged container ship operated by Taiwan-based Wan Hai Lines, with a Britannia P&I cover. The vessel is approximately 271 meters long and was built around 20 years ago. It was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), India, carrying containerized cargo.
Voyage Details
The ship departed Colombo on June 7, 2025, with an expected arrival in Mumbai on June 9, 2025
Fire Incident – June 09th, 2025
At around 12:30 AM local time (04:30 UTC) on June 9, 2025, the container ship Wan Hai 503 was rocked by a major explosion amidships, sparking a fire about 130 nautical miles northwest of Kerala’s coast, India. The blaze quickly spread along nearly the entire 269-meter vessel, which was sailing from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, with approximately 650 containers on board.
Fresh explosions and flames were reported from amidships to the container bay just forward of the accommodation block, rendering the fire uncontrollable and forcing the crew to abandon the ship. Between 40–50 containers were lost overboard. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard rescued 18 crew members, but four remain missing.
The Wan Hai 503 was carrying hazardous cargo, including 157 containers with dangerous goods. These include flammable substances, toxic chemicals, and a large quantity of bunker fuel, which raises serious safety and environmental concerns.
The potential oil spill and drifting containers and debris are expected to move south-southeast over the coming days, potentially impacting coastal areas around Kozhikode and Kochi.
Firefighting and Current Status
Firefighting operations are underway; however, the blaze remains uncontained, with several explosions having occurred. The vessel has lost propulsion and is now drifting, while the fire spreads across the container stacks and has reached the accommodation block. Suggesting that the ship is likely to be declared a constructive total loss. There are also significant concerns about further explosions and environmental risks, as chemical spills from the containers are possible.
Skytek presents in Figure 1 the satellite images of the burning vessel, showing a substantial column of smoke, and will monitor the disabled ship’s movements along with any indications of pollution.
