Latest news with #WSapphire
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cargo ships blocked after coal carrier explosion near site of Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse
BALTIMORE — The main channel used by cargo ships to enter and exit the Port of Baltimore was still shut down Tuesday morning as the Coast Guard probed the cause of a Monday evening explosion on board a coal carrier. No large ships have been able to carry goods in or out of the port since the explosion near the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The coal ship, the W-Sapphire, spent the night anchored and surrounded by tugboats just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. South of the bridge, several cargo ships — some of which were due in the port Monday night — waited. A Tuesday morning notice from the Maryland Port Administration says that the Fort McHenry Federal Channel will remain closed until the U.S. Coast Guard determines that it's safe to reopen for ship traffic and schedules new arrival and departure times for the blocked vessels. The agency referred all other questions to the Coast Guard, which did not immediately respond to questions about the closure. The W-Sapphire needs to be cleared to continue sailing, the Coast Guard said Monday evening. The coal carrier is scheduled to be at sea for over a month, traveling from Baltimore to Mauritius, an island off Africa's east coast. Part of the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier exploded Monday evening, causing a fire in a portion of the ship, according to Baltimore City Fire Department. The fireball had burst out of the vessel, which departed a Curtis Bay coal pier at around 6 p.m. Monday, as it passed through the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site. 'The W-Sapphire is on fire in the middle of the channel,' one person is heard saying in recorded marine radio transmissions, shortly before a crew member calls a mayday for a coal explosion. The 751-foot, coal-carrying ship showed signs of a fire consistent with an explosion, according to Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson John Marsh. 'Firefighters responded by both land and water, including the department's fireboats,' Marsh said. 'The vessel remained afloat and was being assisted by tugboats.' All 23 of the crew members were accounted for and uninjured, according to fire officials. The ship had two pilots aboard, according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Matthew West. The Coast Guard also assisted in the rescue of the crew and the recovery of the ship, and is investigating the cause of the explosion. Coal is the Port of Baltimore's largest export by weight — and it's considered hazardous cargo. In 2017, a ship carrying coal from Baltimore to Portugal exploded, killing one crew member and injuring three others. W Marine Inc., the Greek firm that manages the W-Sapphire, did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday morning. Gov. Wes Moore said Monday night that he was in touch with authorities, and more information about the explosion would be provided 'as it becomes available.' ---------------- Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
an hour ago
- General
- CTV News
Explosion on cargo ship closes Baltimore shipping channel near site of 2024 bridge collapse
The W-Sapphire bulk carrier is seen anchored off Sandy Point, Md., the morning after an explosion occurred in one of its holds as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner via AP) BALTIMORE — Investigators on Tuesday were trying to determine what caused an explosion aboard a cargo ship laden with coal as it departed Baltimore's harbour for East Africa. Officials said no one was injured in the blast Monday evening, which prompted a mayday call when it was reported near the site of last year's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Video of the explosion showed flames shooting high into the air, followed by a large plume of dark smoke billowing over the Patapsco River. The Port of Baltimore's main shipping channel was closed Tuesday morning. 'The U.S. Coast Guard is the lead agency in the response and will determine when the channel can safely reopen, as well as the timing of vessel arrivals and departures,' port officials said in a news release. The 751-foot (229-meter) merchant vessel W-Sapphire was en route from Baltimore to East Africa, according to marine tracking websites. It was expected to arrive in the Port of Mauritius in about a month. Built in 2012, the ship is currently sailing under a Liberian flag. Officials said it was transporting coal. There were 23 crewmembers and two pilots aboard at the time of the explosion, according to Coast Guard officials. Baltimore Fire Department spokesperson John Marsh said the agency responded to a fire below deck. There were no reports of property damage beyond the ship, according to the Maryland Department of Emergency Management. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said his office was closely monitoring the situation. The Coast Guard established a 2,000-yard (1,829-meter) safety zone around the site of the explosion. 'Reports state the fire has been extinguished and plans for the vessel are being formulated,' the agency said in a statement. Officials didn't provide a timeline for when the federal shipping channel was expected to reopen. It was closed for months after the deadly bridge collapse in March 2024, which killed six members of a roadwork crew and effectively brought port operations to a standstill. The bridge was destroyed when the container ship Dali lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns. Lea Skene, The Associated Press
The Sun
12 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Moment blast rocks Baltimore harbor after cargo ship explodes sending flames into the air – near site of bridge collapse
DRAMATIC footage has captured the moment a cargo ship exploded in Baltimore. A fireball was seen coming from the vessel before plumes of thick smoke filled the air on Monday evening. The blast happened on board the W-Sapphire vessel - a Liberian registered ship that is heading to Port Louis, Mauritius. And, it happened in the Patapsco River near to where the city's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March 2024. No injuries were reported and all 23 people on board the cargo ship were accounted for. The ship stayed afloat and was assisted by tug boats, according to the Baltimore Fire Department. But, officials said the boat showed signs consistent with a fire and an explosion. The vessel, which is 751 foot long, is being moved to an anchorage area and is being investigated by the Coast Guard. Video showing smoke coming from the vessel was shared online. And, witnesses recalled what they saw. "We heard a huge explosion," Jay Steinmetz, who was on board a sailboat at the time, told the Fox affiliate WTTG-TV. " I thought that they were blowing up part of the bridge, but obviously I could see after I turned my head that there was a 200-foot plume of smoke over the boat that we'd just seen." The cause of the blast remains unknown at this time. Coast Guard officials have created a 2,000-yard safety zone around the blast site. The explosion comes more than a year after six construction workers were killed when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed. The bridge came crashing down after the container ship Dali hit a supporting pier. 4 4
Newsweek
17 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
Video Shows Ship Explode Near Baltimore Harbor: What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An explosion rocked a cargo ship near Baltimore Harbor Monday evening, sending emergency crews scrambling to respond near the same location where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last year. All 23 crew members aboard the vessel escaped injury in the dramatic incident that occurred around 6:30 p.m. ET, according to local station WBFF. The W Sapphire, a 751-foot bulk carrier, experienced a fire and explosion while navigating the Patapsco River near the former bridge site. Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) units responded immediately by both land and water, deploying specialized fireboats to assist the damaged vessel. SHIP EXPLOSION! Wild scene after explosion on a 751 foot commercial vessel with 23 people on board. Fortunately, all reported okay. Fireboats & Coast Guard working scene--and--not far from the former Baltimore Key Bridge which was destroyed by a Cargo ship collision last year.… — Scott Thuman (@ScottThuman) August 19, 2025 Despite the severity of the blast, the bulk carrier remained afloat throughout the incident and received critical assistance from tugboats to maintain stability in the busy shipping channel, WBFF reported. Governor Wes Moore addressed the incident on X, emphasizing state coordination with federal authorities Monday night saying, "State agencies are responding to the situation near Baltimore Harbor. My office is in touch with local and federal authorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
New York Times
17 hours ago
- General
- New York Times
Fire and Explosion Damage Ship in Baltimore Harbor
A fire and an explosion damaged a bulk carrier ship in the Port of Baltimore on Monday evening, near the site of a cargo ship accident that toppled the Francis Scott Key bridge last year. The Baltimore City Fire Department responded to reports of an explosion aboard a commercial vessel in the Patapsco River near the former Key Bridge site at around 6:30 p.m., John Marsh, a department spokesman, said. A fireboat crew arrived to find a 751-foot bulk carrier, the W-Sapphire, showing signs of 'damage consistent with a fire and explosion.' A cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. The ship's crew confirmed that all 23 people on board were accounted for and uninjured, Mr. Marsh said in the statement. The W-Sapphire remained afloat on Monday evening and was being assisted by tugboats. It will be moved to 'a designated anchorage area' and will be held there until it is cleared by the U.S. Coast Guard, Mr. Marsh said. The W-Sapphire, which was built in 2012 and sails under the flag of Liberia, was traveling to Port Louis, Mauritius, according to an online ship tracking database. It was scheduled to arrive on Sept. 23, according to the site. The explosion occurred near the site of a cargo ship accident that caused part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to collapse last year. The Key Bridge, which opened in 1977, was the outermost of three major crossings of the Baltimore Harbor and formed part of Baltimore's beltway. More than 12.4 million passenger and commercial vehicles crossed the bridge in 2023, according to a Maryland state government report. Early on March 26, 2024, a 947-foot cargo vessel, the Dali, suffered a power blackout as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore. The massive ship struck the bridge, toppling the structure, and killing six workers. The catastrophe was the nation's deadliest bridge collapse in more than a decade.
