A coal-laden bulk carrier suddenly exploded on the 18th while departing from the Port of Baltimore, Maryland for East Africa, resulting in the closure of the port's main shipping channel.
The U.S. Coast Guard stated on the 19th that it and its partner agencies were responding to the vessel explosion at the Port of Baltimore. The channel from the Sparrows Point area to the site of the former Francis Scott Key Bridge is closed to all vessel traffic. The bridge collapsed last year after being hit by a ship.
Authorities said no injuries resulted from the bulk carrier explosion. Aside from the vessel itself, there were no reports of other property damage.
After the explosion, the bulk carrier sent out a distress signal. Flames from the explosion shot into the sky, followed by thick smoke that shrouded the Patapsco River. During the explosion, a hatch cover came off the bulk carrier and fell into the water. A salvage plan for locating and recovering the hatch cover is being drawn up, but its exact location and potential impact on the channel remain unclear.
The Coast Guard stated that when the explosion occurred, the affected bulk carrier W-Sapphire had 23 crew members and 2 pilots on board. The crew is awaiting verification of safety conditions, after which the Coast Guard will board the vessel for further investigation.
According to ship-tracking websites, the 229-meter-long bulk carrier was scheduled to depart Baltimore for East Africa and expected to arrive at Port Louis, Mauritius in about a month. The ship, built in 2012, sails under the flag of Liberia, a West African nation.