The “Marie Maersk”, a 2013-built Triple-E class container vessel with a capacity of 19,076 TEU, is reported to be on fire off the coast of Liberia, with Dutch salvage specialists Smit deployed to assist.
The ship, which departed Rotterdam on 4 August bound for Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, was off the coast of Liberia when the incident occurred.
According to Maersk, the crew detected smoke emanating from containers on board during the morning of 13 August 2025.
“All crew members are safe and remain on board, following established firefighting procedures to contain the blaze,” the company said in a statement. The vessel is understood to be stable, and firefighting tugboats are currently en route to provide support.
The “Marie Maersk” has been diverted towards the Liberian coast to enable landside assistance to reach the ship as swiftly as possible. Maersk confirmed it remains in constant contact with the crew and is offering “all possible support” during the operation.
The extent of the damage to the cargo has not yet been determined. The cause of the fire is also yet to be disclosed.
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