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MSC Daniela finally reenters service four months after massive fire

Eleven weeks after it limped into dock at a repair yard in Shanghai the fire ravaged 13,800 teu MSC Daniela boxship finally left today to resume normal service.

The vessel suffered a fire on April 4 this year in its aft section off Sri Lanka. The ship continued to smoulder for weeks after the blaze was extinguished. MSC suspects shippers misdeclaring hazardous cargoes was the most likely reason for the blaze.

The ship was eventually able to make its own way to Shanghai, arriving on May 22, for what officials at the time said would be up to three weeks of repair work.

MarineTraffic today shows that the vessel finally left China Shipping Industry’s Changxing yard today is now en route to Dalian to the north.

The fire – caused most likely either by a non-declaration of IMDG cargo, or poor stowage of the same by the shipper – ripped through up to eight bays of the ship.

MSC officials have remained tight-lipped on the exact damage to the ship.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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