Casualty News

PUMBA

Date
July 29, 2025

Type
Engine room fire

Voyage
Egypt to China

Reports have been received that Liberian flagged vessel PUMBA (54,214 GT, Built 2006) en route from Port Said Roads to Qingdao, experienced a fire in its engine room while transiting near Ras Ghareb—approximately three nautical miles from the Southeast El‑Hamra oil platform—on the night of 29 July 2025.

Fortuitously, there were no casualties reported.

Local authorities, coordinated by Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, dispatched three to four tugboats (including Ocean Dahab, PMS‑4, Misr‑Gulf 15) to assist in firefighting. The fire was successfully extinguished, and the vessel was subsequently towed to a designated maritime safe zone at Ras Ghareb, clear of critical navigation routes, for inspection and potential repairs.

It is understood that the vessel sustained engine room damage, possibly affecting propulsion or onboard systems.

The cargo operation may face delays, and claims for general average and salvage security are likely to arise.

No pollution has been confirmed to date, and the vessel remains afloat under monitoring in a remote anchorage.

The vessel’s last port of call before the incident was Port Said Roads, Egypt, and her destination was Qingdao, China.

As well as cargo damage, it is possible that claims for salvage, general average, and delay or loss may arise from this incident.

If you are the insurers of cargo on board this vessel and require assistance the any claims arising, then please do not hesitate to contact us. We can assist with:

– Arranging cargo damage surveys

– Investigating the cause of the incident

– Recovery of losses on NO CURE NO PAY terms

– Provision of Salvage Guarantees (for a premium starting from 0.4% of guarantee amount)

– Handling of Salvage claims (without the need for lawyers)

– Providing Average Guarantees

– Handling of GA claims

– Defence of GA claims in NO CURE NO PAY terms