A Cargo Ship Catches Fires! US Military Shoots Down a U.S. Navy Fighter in Red Sea

On December 21, a serious cargo ship fire occurred in the Suqian section of the Grand Canal in China. A cargo ship, carrying 4 tons of diesel and 3 gas cylinders, suddenly caught fire, with flames spreading rapidly and thick smoke billowing at the scene. Fortunately, rescue personnel responded quickly and arrived at the site. After about half an hour of urgent firefighting efforts, the blaze was successfully extinguished, preventing a potential explosion and environmental pollution disaster.

Relevant departments are conducting a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident. Preliminary speculation suggests the fire may have been caused by aged wiring or a short circuit.

Meanwhile, temporary traffic control has been imposed on the canal to ensure the safety of other vessels.

This incident serves as a reminder to all vessel operators to regularly inspect ship electrical circuits to prevent fires caused by wiring issues.

Ships should be equipped with sufficient firefighting equipment, and crew members should be well-versed in emergency procedures.

Recently, cargo ship accidents have been frequent, including collisions, oil spills, fires, and instances where cargo ships, while passing through local waters, were suspected of cutting cables and were required to undergo investigation.

Suspected of Cutting the Cable

In November, two subsea cables suddenly broke off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that he believes this was an act of sabotage.

Investigators focused their suspicions on a Chinese bulk carrier that left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. Reuters analysis the data showed that the ship's coordinates corresponded with the time and place of the damage.

China allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to board the cargo ship on December 21, to conduct an investigation together with Chinese investigators. After being anchored in the shipping lane near Denmark for over a month, the ship has now resumed its voyage.

The Swedish Coast Guard revealed on Saturday that the ship has set sail for Port Said in Egypt and is being tracked, while maintaining close contact with other concerned authorities.

US Military Shoots Down a U.S. Navy Fighter in Red Sea

On December 21, a noteworthy incident also occurred involving a U.S. Navy cruiser.

Local time on December 21, the U.S. cruiser experienced a friendly fire incident in the skies over the Red Sea, where a cruiser mistakenly identified an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet as a threat and shot it down, causing two pilots to eject, with one suffering minor injuries.

This incident occurred after Houthi rebels in Yemen launched drone and missile attacks, prompting the U.S. Central Command to conduct airstrikes on Houthi missile storage and command and control facilities, as well as to shoot down several Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile in the skies over the Red Sea.

Recently, as the weather turns cold and the climate becomes more variable in winter, with poor sea conditions and geopolitical tensions, the occurrence of catastrophic accidents has increased. It is essential to strengthen the safety management of ships during winter navigation to prevent risks before they happen.

Common Causes of Shipping Accidents in Winter

Here are common causes of ship accidents in winter:

Icing and Ice Jams: The freezing of rivers, lakes, and ports due to temperature drops causing the water surface to freeze is a natural phenomenon that hinders the normal passage of ships. Ice jams occur when floating ice accumulates in waterways, blocking navigation channels and increasing the risk of ship collisions or grounding. These phenomena usually occur when ice breaking or ice removal is not timely, preventing ships from passing safely.

Visibility Reduction: Fog and snow are common weather phenomena in winter that significantly reduce visibility, making it difficult for ships to detect obstacles or other vessels in time, thereby increasing the risk of collisions and groundings. Additionally, low visibility can also cause ships to deviate from their planned course, further increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Severe Sea Conditions: Winter storms and huge waves are a direct manifestation of natural forces, which can cause ships to capsize or cargo to shift. Severe sea conditions make ship handling more difficult, requiring higher skills and experience from the crew to cope, but even so, the unpredictability of natural forces remains a significant cause of accidents.

Mechanical Failures: The impact of cold weather on ship machinery and electronic equipment is significant. Low temperatures can cause an increase in the viscosity of lubricating oils, affecting the normal operation of mechanical moving parts, and even causing equipment to freeze. Additionally, extreme temperature changes can also affect the stability of electronic equipment, increasing the risk of failures.

Crew Operational Errors: Cold weather can affect the physiological state of crew members, including reducing reaction speeds and increasing fatigue. These physiological changes can lead to operational errors, especially in emergency situations that require quick responses, where crew errors can directly lead to accidents.

Fuel Congestion: In extreme low temperatures, fuel oil may congeal due to the reduced fluidity as temperatures drop. Congestion of fuel can prevent engines from starting, causing ships to lose power and increasing the likelihood of encountering dangers during navigation.

Cargo Freezing: Certain cargoes may freeze at low temperatures, altering their physical properties such as weight and volume, thereby affecting the stability of the ship. Such changes in cargo can cause a shift in the ship's center of gravity, increasing the risk of capsizing.

Ship Fire Incidents: Ship fires may be caused by various factors, including aging electrical wiring and short circuits. These factors can become more active in winter due to cold weather, as crew members may use more electrical equipment to stay warm, increasing the load on the circuits and thereby raising the risk of spontaneous combustion.

Grounding and Reef Collision: Sea ice and floating ice in winter can alter shipping lanes, making the original routes unpredictable. Ships are more prone to grounding and reef collisions when navigating in unfamiliar waters, especially when navigational charts and maps are not updated in a timely manner.

Exhaustion of Crew: Crew exhaustion may be caused by long working hours, irregular schedules, and harsh working conditions. In winter, due to shorter daylight hours and adverse weather conditions, crew members may have to work under more difficult circumstances, which can lead to a decline in their physical and mental state, thereby increasing the risk of operational errors.

To reduce the winter ship accidents, there are some preventive measures:

Advance preparation for vessel warning work

(1) Enterprises should supervise and inspect ships before the arrival of winter, increase investment in production safety, improve safety production systems; strengthen safety warning education for the "winter defense" and enhance safety training for crew members.

(2) The captain should always pay attention to weather changes, especially cold waves, temperature drops, freezing rain, and foggy snow, which directly affect the safe production of ships, and prepare and prevent early based on the characteristics of the ship.

Enhance Winter Maritime Facility Inspections

(1) Ships' exposed pipes, water tanks, and fuel lines should be insulated against freezing during the cold winter months. Lifeboat fresh water tanks should not be filled more than 3/4, and lifeboats should be switched to antifreeze lubricating oil in a timely manner.

(2) Ships should properly winterize fire hoses, ensuring any remaining water is drained to prevent the hoses from freezing and being unusable in the event of a fire.

(3) Deck machinery and motors with heating and moisture-proof equipment should be activated; in severe cold, key mechanical and electrical equipment may need to be kept running.

(4) Outdoor gyro repeaters, revolution counter repeaters, and rudder angle indicators on ships should keep their illumination bulbs on around the clock.

(5) Cargo must be strictly secured, cushioned, and lashed according to the Securing Manual, with increased supervision to ensure that heavy cargo is stable, preventing shifts that could affect the ship's stability during heavy weather.

(6) During navigation, it is essential to regularly measure the levels of ballast water and sewage wells to detect any abnormal leakage in the cargo holds promptly.

Effective Use of Ship Communication Systems

(1) Make full use of navigation aids such as radar and AIS, and strengthen dynamic observation of the impact of severe winter weather on ship operations through various information channels like weather faxes and websites. Be prepared with weather information and navigation warnings, and take appropriate safety precautions for the ship.

(2) Strengthen watchkeeping; in the event of an emergency such as crew injury or falling overboard, the crew should remain calm and contact the maritime authorities immediately, reporting the ship's position, name, and other relevant information to await rescue.

With the occur of severe weather in winter, ships face more serious challenges during navigation. To ensure safe navigation, we must take proactive preventive measures, from strengthening the early warning work of ships to meticulous facility inspections, and effectively utilizing communication systems. Each step is crucial for preventing accidents and protecting the lives and property of crew members. In the face of winter-specific challenges such as icing, reduced visibility, and severe sea conditions, the shipping industry must adopt stricter safety procedures and preventive measures. Through these efforts, we can reduce the risk of accidents and ensure the smooth progress of shipping activities.