A serious fire broke out early Sunday morning aboard two LPG carriers during an illegal ship-to-ship transfer operation off the coast of Bangladesh. The Captain Nikolas was in the process of transferring LPG to a lighter vessel, the B-LPG Sophia, near Kutubdia, Chattogram, when the fire erupted at around 0045 hours. Both the Bangladesh Coast Guard and Navy were quick to respond, deploying seven vessels to control the flames and prevent further escalation.
A total of 31 crew members from both vessels were forced to jump overboard to escape the blaze. Fortunately, all were rescued safely from the water, and no significant injuries were reported. While the Captain Nikolas only sustained minor damage, the Sophia was severely affected by the fire, suffering significant structural damage.
According to New Age Bangladesh, the fire is suspected to have been linked to an illegal ship-to-ship transfer. The LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) has raised concerns that the cargo aboard the Captain Nikolas may have been misdeclared. They allege that the LPG originally came from Iran, a sanctioned country, rather than from Dubai or Oman as stated in the ship’s documents. Additionally, data from Pole Star revealed a suspicious weeklong gap in the Captain Nikolas’ AIS tracking prior to its departure from the Persian Gulf, heightening suspicions of an undisclosed illegal ship-to-ship transfer.
Despite these concerns, Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Mohd Omar Faruk stated to The Business Standard that no evidence of illicit cargo was found during an inspection of the Captain Nikolas. He confirmed that the vessel’s documentation showed the LPG had been loaded in Dubai or Oman. Nonetheless, an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire, with authorities expecting results within a week.
This fire marks the third major vessel incident off the coast of Bangladesh in just two weeks, following earlier fires aboard the tankers Banglar Shourabh and Banglar Jyoti. These recent incidents have raised alarm over the safety and regulation of maritime operations in the region, especially those involving illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
The Captain Nikolas, a 50,000 dwt LPG carrier built in 1992, has a record of fire safety violations, having been detained earlier this year in China due to fire protection issues, further underscoring the risks involved in such transfers.
