Fire on Cargo Ship Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries near Dutch Harbor

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a fire on a cargo ship carrying lithium-ion batteries near Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The fire is contained but still ongoing, according to an update late Friday 29 Dec.

The 17th Coast Guard District Command Center in Juneau received a report Thursday morning of a cargo hold fire aboard the vessel Genius Star XI, which was initially located approximately 225 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The Coast Guard directed the Genius Star XI to continue towards Dutch Harbor while an HC-130 airplane from Air Station Kodiak and the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley (WMEC-39) were dispatched to provide assistance.

As a precautionary measure, the Genius Star XI will remain offshore from Dutch Harbor while response crews prepare to assist. The Coast Guard will establish a safety zone around the vessel.

No injuries or release of oil/hazardous materials have been reported.

Images shared by the Coast Guard showed heat signatures from engine room and exhaust stack, but no indication of excess heat in the cargo hold(s) where the fire was reported.

“We applaud the crewmembers aboard Genius Star XI, whose swift actions kept the fire contained to this point,” said Captain Chris Culpepper, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. “This will be an ongoing team effort as we work to safely extinguish the fire, provide any necessary medical care for the crew, and mitigate the dangers associated with a shipboard fire.”

The Genius Star XI is registered in Panama and is owned and managed by Wisdom Marine Lines SA of Taiwan, according to Equasis data. AIS shows it as traveling from Vietnam to Dutch Harbor.

At this time, the cause of the fire remains unknown. An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place once response efforts are complete.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said it is engaged as part of a Unified Command and is ready to respond if needed.

U.S. Senator from Alaska Lisa Murkowski said she has spoken with Rear Admiral Dean, USCG D17 Commander, to receive updates on the situation. Her office stands ready to assist as needed.