Fire on box ship off Alaska extinguished

An engine room fire on a containership off the coast of Alaska was extinguished on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.

The Coast Guard said that its command center in Juneau received a request for assistance shortly after midnight Friday from the 781-foot containership India Lotus.

The Maltese-flag ship, with 32 people onboard, was 700 miles south of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. A Coast Guard C-130 from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska and the 378-foot Coast Guard Cutter Mellon were dispatched.

The Coast Guard said it was notified the ship was no longer in need of assistance at 1:15 p.m.

The shipowner, Ofer Brothers Properties, contracted for a tow as well as delivery of food and water from Dutch Harbor. 

Source: American Shipper