Maersk has confirmed that the container ship Marie Maersk had resumed her eastbound voyage around the Cape of Good Hope on 24 August, following a container fire.
The decision followed inspections of the affected areas, carried out in consultation with authorities and the ship’s classification society, which determined that it was safe to continue the journey. The vessel’s next port of call is still being finalised, and Maersk said it would provide an update once confirmed.
“An external firefighting team remains on board, and special safety measures have been implemented to ensure the voyage proceeds securely,” the company stated. “Depending on the optimal location for handling damaged containers and minimising disruption to Maersk’s network, the vessel may make an intermediate stop. Contingency plans are also in place should the planned route need to be revised en route. Our priority is the safe transport of cargo and the timely delivery of undamaged goods to customers.”
The fire was first reported on 13 August, when the crew detected smoke in containers while the vessel was travelling from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia. The crew remained safe throughout the incident, and all key systems—including machinery, steering, and navigation—continued to operate normally.
An expert firefighting team joined the vessel on 19 August to support the crew. By 22 August, Maersk reported that the fire was under control, though not yet fully extinguished, with one container still showing elevated temperatures despite being flooded and monitored.
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