HMM NAMU Cargo Ship Fire: What You Need to Know About the Incident and Its Aftermath

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The HMM-operated cargo ship that caught fire while anchored in the Strait of Hormuz is operating its emergency generator while awaiting a tug.

On May 5, HMM said the HMM NAMU remained on standby in waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the fire broke out the previous day.

The blaze caused the ship’s power to shut down automatically, leaving it dead in the water. Once a tug is secured, HMM plans to tow the vessel to the nearby Port of Dubai. After docking, six South Korean crew members are expected to return home.

HMM said all 24 crewmembers, including South Korean nationals, remain aboard with no significant injuries reported from the fire.

An HMM official said that while the crew could disembark immediately if they chose to, they appear to have opted to stay on board because the fire has been extinguished and there are no outstanding safety risks.

The ship is running its emergency backup generator. Anticipating a prolonged anchorage, the crew had stocked food and drinking water, so onboard operations have not been seriously disrupted.

HMM is coordinating from its ship operations center in Busan to secure tugboats in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other nearby ports. Once a tug is arranged, the company will move the vessel to the nearest berth in Dubai to assess damage and begin an investigation into the incident’s cause.