Fire Safety: 25 Killed at Qingdao Shipyard as Fires Hit Ferries, Tankers and Cargo Ships
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A fire aboard the 55,742-dwt bulk carrier Ocean Melody killed 25 people while the Liberian-flagged vessel was undergoing repair and inspection work at CSSC's Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding yard in China on September 10. The fire began at about 11:15 a.m.; of 42 people aboard, 12 evacuated safely and five were hospitalized with injuries before the remaining 25 were confirmed dead. The disaster came less than a day after the passenger and cargo ferry MV June Aster caught fire near Coron in the Philippines, killing at least five people and leaving more than 80 missing as search operations continued. A review of the past 90 days also found fatal ferry fires in Indonesia, an engine-room fire that killed two aboard a South Korean oil-products tanker, remote-ocean fires aboard a vehicle carrier and fishing vessel, major scrap-metal cargo fires in Cardiff and Gdansk, and several fires linked to attacks on commercial shipping. Allianz Commercial separately recorded 218 fire and explosion incidents involving vessels over 100 GT during 2025, the second-highest annual total of the past decade.
Maritime Fire Incident Snapshot
Recent casualties span ship repair, passenger ferries, engine rooms, vehicle carriers, scrap-metal cargoes, tankers and conflict-related fires.
The passenger and cargo ferry caught fire near Coron, Palawan. Forty-three people had been rescued in the latest reporting.
The Indonesian Ro-Pax ferry burned near Madura in August. Authorities ultimately accounted for 238 people aboard.
An August 27 fire off Incheon was suspected to have started in the engine room and did not reach the vessel's oil storage spaces.
Twenty-two seafarers left Min Jiang Kou south of Costa Rica, while all 27 aboard fishing vessel Drennec abandoned ship near the Galapagos.
90-Day Maritime Fire Incident Board
Selected significant vessel and shipyard fires reported worldwide, including operational casualties, cargo fires and fires caused or potentially caused by hostile action.
| Date | Vessel / Facility | Location | Human Impact | Fire Category | Incident | Latest Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 10 | Ocean Melody Bulk carrier · 55,742 DWT |
Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Qingdao, China |
25 DEAD 5 injured · 12 safely evacuated |
SHIP REPAIR Maintenance and inspection period. | Fire broke out at about 11:15 while the Liberian-flagged vessel was undergoing repair and inspection work at the CSSC yard. | Fire extinguished by about 14:30. Cause remains under investigation. Chinese authorities ordered a full investigation and accountability review. |
| Sep. 9 | MV June Aster Passenger / Ro-Ro cargo ferry |
Near Coron, Palawan Philippines |
5 DEAD
80+ MISSING 43 rescued in latest reporting |
CAUSE OPEN | The Manila-to-Coron ferry was rapidly engulfed after survivors reported hearing an explosion. Vehicles and general cargo were aboard. | Search and rescue remained active. Thick smoke and heat initially prevented teams from safely boarding the burned vessel. |
| Sep. 9 | New Andros Oil tanker / floating storage | Iraqi territorial waters |
22 CREW SAFE No reported injuries |
DRONE STRIKE | A drone strike ignited a fire aboard the Panama-flagged tanker while it was carrying roughly two million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil. | Minor hull damage was reported and authorities said there was no cargo leakage. |
| Aug. 27 | South Korean Product Tanker ~7,000-ton oil-products carrier |
Near Jawol Island Incheon, South Korea |
2 DEAD 16 rescued |
ENGINE ROOM | Fire broke out shortly after departure from Incheon. The two fatalities were found in the engine room. | Fire extinguished after several hours. Investigators suspected an engine-room origin; flames did not reach the oil-storage compartment. |
| Aug. 27 | Progress IV General cargo vessel |
Romanian EEZ Black Sea |
12 RESCUED One crew member reported injured |
CAUSE UNRESOLVED | Vessel reported a fire and severe damage about 15 nautical miles from Sfântu Gheorghe. | The vessel subsequently sank. Romania's president said it appeared to have been struck, but warned against conclusions before investigation. |
| Aug. 25 | Federal Welland Bulk carrier · 36,563 DWT |
Queen Alexandra Dock Cardiff, Wales |
CREW SAFE | SCRAP METAL | Fire developed in a hold containing approximately 20,000 tonnes of scrap metal. | Specialist appliances, a firefighting tug and drone were deployed. Smoke warnings were issued across parts of Cardiff and Penarth. |
| Aug. 20 | Drennec Fishing vessel |
527 NM southwest of Galapagos Islands |
27 RESCUED | VESSEL FIRE | All 27 crew abandoned the Ecuadorian-flagged fishing vessel into a life raft after fire broke out far offshore. | U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders coordinated the rescue through distress alerts and merchant-vessel assistance. |
| Aug. 12 | KMP Putri Yasmin Passenger / vehicle ferry |
Lombok Strait Indonesia |
1 DEAD More than 200 evacuated |
CAUSE OPEN | The Bali-to-Lombok ferry caught fire in rough seas. Passenger totals exceeded the number recorded on the initial manifest. | Rescue teams evacuated the remaining passengers and crew. Indonesian authorities opened an investigation. |
| Aug. 6 | Min Jiang Kou Vehicle carrier |
630 NM south of Costa Rica |
22 RESCUED | ENGINE ROOM | An engine-room fire was initially contained using the ship's fixed CO2 system, but smoke later increased and the crew was ordered to abandon ship. | Merchant vessel Jin Hai Ping recovered all 22 mariners from lifeboats after a U.S. Coast Guard AMVER request. |
| Aug. 2 | KMP Mutiara Sentosa II Ro-Pax ferry |
North of Madura Indonesia |
5 DEAD 233 survivors |
CAUSE OPEN | Fire engulfed the Surabaya-to-Makassar ferry and triggered a large multi-agency sea rescue. | Authorities later reconciled the total aboard at 238, with 233 survivors and five fatalities. |
| Jul. 30 | Energos Winter / GasLog Salem Gas vessels |
Damietta Egypt |
NO INJURIES | DRONE ATTACK | Egyptian authorities said a drone strike caused fires involving the two gas vessels at the Mediterranean port. | Fires were controlled. Damage to Energos Winter affected an important part of Egypt's LNG import infrastructure. |
| Jul. 28 | Bergstraum 9,500-DWT chemical tanker |
Outside Fredrikstad Norway |
15 CREW SAFE | FIRE / EXPLOSION | A fire and reported explosion occurred while the tanker was carrying sulfuric acid. Police reporting pointed to possible welding work. | Fire extinguished with no reported injuries or hazardous cargo release. Operator Utkilen opened an internal investigation. |
| Jul. 2 | Sion Star Bulk carrier · 237,152 DWT |
Port of Gdansk Poland |
NO REPORTED FATALITIES | SCRAP METAL | Scrap metal ignited in a cargo hold while the vessel was loading. Fire crews had difficulty reaching the seat of the blaze through dense cargo. | Roughly 100 firefighters and 27 fire appliances were reported at the peak. Cargo was removed to gain access to the fire. |
| Jun. 24 | USS Indianapolis Freedom-class littoral combat ship |
Naval Station Mayport Florida, USA |
7 MINOR INJURIES | IN-PORT FIRE | A localized fire broke out while the warship was moored at Mayport. | Ship's crew and shore firefighters extinguished the fire. All seven personnel treated at hospitals were released the same day. |
| Jun. 15 | Champion Passenger ferry |
Boston Harbor Massachusetts, USA |
25 EVACUATED No injuries |
MACHINERY | A small fire developed in a machinery space during a scheduled passenger trip. | A preliminary investigation identified an overheated bearing as the apparent cause. Passengers disembarked at Castle Island. |
90-Day Maritime Fire Incident Explorer
Filter the selected incident set by vessel sector, fire environment and human outcome to see how recent maritime fires are distributed.