A government joint investigation team continued a second day of detailed forensics on the South Korean bulk carrier HMM Namu after the ship caught fire while anchored in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to HMM and local sources, the joint team — three inspectors from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and four forensic examiners from South Korea’s National Fire Agency — conducted a focused inspection on the 9th (local time) of the Namu while she was docked at a repair yard in the Port of Dubai.
The team has secured the voyage data recorder (VDR), the ship’s “black box,” and CCTV footage for analysis, and began conducting in-person interviews with crew members the previous day.
Investigators are concentrating on whether the blaze was triggered by an external act — including the possibility of an attack by Iran — or resulted from an internal failure such as an engine malfunction.
The central inspection is expected to take place in the engine room, where the fire is believed to have started. Teams plan to enter the engine room, located low on the port-side stern, for a thorough on-site examination.
If necessary, investigators may deploy underwater drones or divers, or use a crane to lift the vessel to inspect the hull’s underside. The hull section around the engine room sits below the waterline, which makes visual inspection difficult.
All 24 crew members, including six South Koreans, disembarked after completing face-to-face interviews with the government team the previous night. They moved to Dubai lodgings to rest and could return to the ship as needed for further questioning or inspections.
Authorities said decisions on repatriating the crew will be made after considering the ship’s repair timetable and other operational factors.
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