MSC-chartered boxship suffers engine room fire in Panama Canal

A fire broke out in the engine room of the container vessel Cape Kortia on Monday morning, 30 of January, while the vessel was moving towards the PSA port in the Pacific, the Panama Canal reports.

The New Panamax container vessel (11,010 TEU), built in 2017, is owned by Costamare from Greece and operated by Swiss-based MSC, data from VesselsValue shows.
 
“Due to this incident, another vessel was affected. The Cape Kortia remained briefly on its way to the Pacific Access Channel until it got removed by the Panama Canal staff,” a statement from the canal authority reads.
 
“These maneuvers occurred during its regular transit window and did not cause delays to vessels transiting the Panama Canal.”

According to the Panama Canal Authority, the incident was reported immediately and all security procedures were activated. Panama’s National Aeronaval Service dispatched two vessels to the scene to provide assistance.

The fire outbreak was put under control and there were no injuries reported in the accident, the canal authority said.

The Maltese-flagged containership is moored in the port of Rodman, Panama.