Major Fire Reported On Bulker Loaded With 20,000 Tonnes Of Scrap Metal At UK’s Cardiff Port

A bulker, the Federal Welland, loaded with 20,000 tonnes of scrap metal, caught fire at the UK’s Cardiff Port situated in Cardiff Bay on the northern side of the Bristol Channel.

The ship, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was engulfed in flames arising from the cargo inside the hold and led to an emergency at the facility’s Queen Alexandra Docks.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was involved in the operations to control the fire, and the firefighting teams used rescue tenders, tugs and a hydraulic platform along with a drone to assess the extent of damage.

Fortunately, all the crew members were safely rescued from the vessel, according to the fire service and Associated British Ports, which is the operator and owner of Cardiff Port.

The smoke covered the skies, drifting towards Cardiff city centre, the bay and Penarth, after which authorities advised the residents in the impacted areas to keep their windows and doors closed until it cleared, to avoid respiratory issues.

People were also instructed to stay away from the port while the firefighting operation was ongoing and not to fly a drone over the site since it could interfere with the work.

Federal Welland is a handysize laker which was constructed 25 years ago, and is currently owned by Fednav, a company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which has a fleet of 130 ships.