SAFE T Y
Briefings
MAIB publishes preliminary report on scrap metal fire on Altay A report regarding a scrap metal fire in the cargo
hold of bulk carrier Altay has highlighted the importance of cargo loading monitoring and cargo pre-loading inspection.
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released a preliminary assessment of the incident which took place in 2025. Nearby residents and business owners had been advised to keep their doors and windows securely closed while firefighters tackled the blaze.
Findings - The fire was likely caused by an undischarged battery or other ignition source, causing a spark during loading that ignited combustible material in the scrap cargo.
- The scrap cargo had been collected from several sources and the recipient company, The Griffiths Group Limited, expected its suppliers to screen their product to remove hazardous material such as combustibles and batteries.
- Deliveries of scrap cargo to Hull were visually checked on arrival. There was no additional sorting and screening facility to ensure that contaminants were not present.
- The cargo had been classified as group C scrap metal under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code, which did not require the shipper to declare hazard identification and cargo composition. However, the scrap cargo contained hazardous impurities, including batteries, oil drums, and oily residues, which posed a fire risk.
Key tips for transferring plastic pellets in containers
Steamship Mutual P&I Club has provided guidance on the risks associated with the carriage of plastic pellets in containers and provides practical measures to prevent spillage and protect the marine environment.
Understanding the risks of plastic pellets According to the Club, in recent years, several high-profile incidents have occurred, such as the Trans Carrier in 2020 and the XPress Pearl in 2021, where containers have fallen overboard and resulted in the release of plastic pellets into seas and oceans with subsequent harm to the marine environment.
While the carriage of plastic pellets in shipping containers is a secure means of shipment, the environmental concern arises when these containers are lost overboard. Once plastic pellets are released, their physical properties of being small and light allow them to travel extensive distances from the initial release location.
These incidents have given rise to concerns within the shipping industry about not only the risks plastic pellets pose to marine ecosystems, but also about the resulting multi-million-dollar clean-up and recovery operations, which can span many months or even years.
These costs include shoreline recovery, wildlife rehabilitation and long-term monitoring, and achieving complete recovery is often impossible.
The inclusion of plastic nurdles in the IMDG Code is being considered in part due to the escalating cost of recovery, because mandatory packaging, labelling, and stowage requirements are considered essential in reducing the frequency and severity of such incidents.
Read the guidance online at
https://bit.ly/3NtMfLr.
THE REPORT | MAR 2026 | ISSUE 115 | 33
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