--- title: "Raging Fire, Huge Explosion Devastate Giant Container Ship" description: "A massive explosion rocked a container ship anchored 9.5 nautical miles northwest off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka." date: "2021-05-25" modified: "2021-05-25" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/huge-explosion-container-ship" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "cargo ships" - "india" - "shipping containers" - "sri lanka" - "the digest" --- # Raging Fire, Huge Explosion Devastate Giant Container Ship ![A massive explosion rocked a container ship anchored 9.5 nautical miles northwest off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka.]() *\Image: Newsfirst Sri Lanka via YouTube\* ## Ship Explosion A massive explosion just rocked a container ship anchored off the coast of Sri Lanka, [*Al Jazeera* reports](). The vessel, called MV X-Press Pearl, was waiting to enter its port before a fire erupted on board four days ago, according to the Sri Lankan navy. The navy believes the ensuing explosion was caused by chemicals on board, which included 25 tons of nitric acid — another reminder, after a separate [vessel blocked the Suez Canal earlier this year](), of the vulnerability of the massive container ships that power much of global trade. https://twitter.com/cmbfav/status/1397102244877717504 ## Tug Life Five tugboats were already trying to battle a fire when the explosion occurred. A Sri Lankan Navy ship was also anchored nearby to assist, according to *Al Jazeera*. 25 crew members from countries including including the Philippines, China, India and Russia were evacuated following the explosion. Several of the 1,486 containers the boat was carrying tumbled into the ocean. "The fire has been spreading fast since morning and has spread towards the control room, while some 20 of the containers have fallen overboard," Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Indika Silva said, as [quoted by the *Australian Associated Press*]() (AAP). Experts are now surveying the ship, with India promising to send help as well in the form of both rescue ships and aircraft to battle the blazing flames. "A special Dutch flight with vital equipment to contain the fire is now expected to reach Sri Lanka," Sri Lanka's shipping minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said in a statement, as [quoted by *Reuters*](). The extent of the environmental toll of the explosion is still unclear. "We already have reports that some of the fuel from the engine room has leaked from the ship into sea," said Dharshani Lahandapura, chair of the Marine Environment Protection Authority, a Sri Lankan government body to protect marine waters from pollution, as quoted by *AAP*. "We are in the process of carrying out investigations to determine the extent of pollution," she added. **READ MORE:** [Crew evacuated after explosion on container ship off Colombo]() \[*Al Jazeera*\] **More on container ships:** *[Watch the Amazing Moment as the Giant Ship Finally Gets Unstuck]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()