Engine room fire aboard Victoria L containership. Coordinated response prevents escalation

The Netherlands Coastguard Coordination Centre received an emergency report from the containership Victoria L, positioned approximately 56 kilometers off the coast of Scheveningen. A fire had broken out in the vessel’s engine room. Although it initially appeared to be under control, a resurgence occurred due to overheating, prompting a full-scale emergency response.

security worldwide maritime rescue coast guard news

09 april 2025   |   19:16   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. Kustwacht Nederland

fot. Kustwacht Nederland

The Netherlands Coastguard (Kustwacht Nederland) immediately initiated a coordinated maritime rescue operation involving multiple specialized assets:

  • Rescue vessels from the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM),
  • Two Coastguard helicopters and a surveillance aircraft,
  • Salvage tugs from Multraship, including Multraship Protector,
  • The Rijkswaterstaat emergency response tanker Arca,
  • And the Maritime Incident Response Group (MIRG), a specialized firefighting unit trained for maritime interventions.

The MIRG team was airlifted to Victoria L where they conducted a reconnaissance and onboard inspection. It was confirmed that the fire had remained contained within the engine room and had not spread to other compartments. Following a coordinated effort between the MIRG specialists and the vessel’s crew, the fire was successfully extinguished.

The vessel has sustained no critical structural damage and is expected to proceed under its own power to the Port of Rotterdam, where further technical assessments will be conducted. No injuries to the crew have been reported.

The incident highlights the effectiveness of joint maritime emergency protocols and the critical role of rapid-response teams like MIRG in ensuring maritime safety in the North Sea region.

Buy us a coffee, and we’ll invest in great maritime journalism! Support Gazeta Morska and help us sail forward – click here!

Kamil Kusier
redaktor naczelny

comments


enter content
COMMENT
nick

Add the first comment