Stricken British cargo ship on fire south of Gran Canaria

[Janet]

As though there weren't enough to be worried about in the waters around the Canaries, a British boat carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer is currently on fire some 60 miles south of Gran Canaria. Despite the president of the Canaries saying yesterday that the boat had already sunk, technicians of the Dutch shipping company under whose flag the craft is sailing have been visiting the site since last night to see what options exist to deal with the blaze. It seems that despite smoke billowing wildly, the flames are contained within the hold where the fertilizer is burning fiercely. Some concern must surely be felt because this is a very explosive cargo, and the highly-soluble chemical is not one we should welcome in any form in the seas around these islands. The boat was transferring the fertilizer from Norway to Thaliand, and had a stop planned at the Canaries for refuelling.

[Janet]

video of the boat on fire ...

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en-gb"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Capitanía Marítima de Las Palmas sigue las operaciones en el buque &#39;Cheshire&#39; <a href="https://t.co/IOds0Ug7wz">https://t.co/IOds0Ug7wz</a> <a href="https://t.co/0CGL7Z2s7x">pic.twitter.com/0CGL7Z2s7x</a></p>&mdash; Canarias Ahora (@Cahora) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cahora/status/897827061427052545">16 August 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[TOTO 99]

Far be it from me but would it be the case that the more fertiliser that burns away, the better?

[Perikles]

Far be it from me but would it be the case that the more fertiliser that burns away, the better?

I think you might be right. I used to have a farm on the coast in Wales, surrounded by dairy farmers who use a lot of this stuff to maximise their grass yield. Normally, that works well, but if there has been a drought and then heavy rain, the water does not seep into the ground but runs off into the sea. If there has been a lot of fertiliser distribution, this gets washed off as well, and the effect on the marine life is disastrous. I think it is because it absorbs oxygen from the water, and fish are extremely sensitive to changes in oxygen levels.

[Janet]

As of today, the Cheshire is still adrift now some 80 miles due south of El Hierro, and for the moment, the fire remains out of control and growing. Its cargo, of some 40,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, has now converted the vessel into what Canary Ports has called a gigantic floating bomb which no-one can yet approach. Experts say that the toxic smoke generated in the hold from the burning fertilizer is stopping experts or even tug - and fire-fighting boats approaching the craft, and it is anyway considered unwise to pour water or foam on the smoke since it could cause the ammonium nitrate to explode. Bibby Line, the owner of the ship, says that there have been some explosions inside sections of the hold and the internal temperature could be slightly reduced as a result, and so experts will continue to look at ways to board the vessel.

[Lucky]

Can anyone spot its location?

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-14.1/centery:30.1/zoom:6

[Janet]

this is the latest infographic of its location:

[attachimg=1]

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Janet]

The ammonium nitrate in three of the five storage bays in the Cheshire's hold has now burnt off, it appears, with the remaining two expected to burn off over the next few days. At present, the vessel is being towed towards Gran Canaria by four tugs, and is being cooled by them while travelling to avoid the build up of further heat. Technicians have asked for a minimum three-mile exclusion zone around the vessel in case of explosion.

[Marion]

Wouldn't want to be in one of the tugs then!!

[TOTO 99]

I hope they get it near to some water soon so they can put it out....