A Russian-operated ro/ro caught fire and burned during a voyage from Japan to Vladivostok, according to its operator.
At about 0700 hours on June 25, the Sierra Leone-flagged ro/ro Angara (IMO9124043)departed an anchorage off Tovama, Japan and got under way for Vladivostok. She had a cargo of 570 used cars on board, according to Japanese outlet Hokkoku. At about 1430 hours she caught fire, according to the Japan Coast Guard.
AIS data provided by Pole Star confirms that at about 1430 hours, Angara dropped speed to 1.5 knots and changed heading. Sheappeared to drift on a northeasterly course, and at about 0400 on the morning of the 26th, her AIS signal disappeared.
The Japan Coast Guard vessel Hamayuki responded to the emergency and helped rescue the 25 members of the car carrier’s crew. They were all returned to shore safe and unharmed, but the Angara burned through her cargo decks and her accommodations section, the 9th Regional Coast Guard told Japanese media.
All members of the crew are Russian nationals, and the Russian consulate in Niigata is working on the question of how and when to send them home.
The vessel’s operator, Vladivostok-based Japan Auto Lines, reported in a social media statementthat it is temporarily suspending acceptance of new cargo at its terminals in Japan, along with all shipments departing Japan. It has not yet issued a statement on the circumstances of the casualty.
While the cause of the fire has not yet been established, used car cargoes have known fire risks that have been well-identified by marineinsurers and safety regulators.
The Angara is a 1995-built ro/ro flagged in Sierra Leone, a registry ranked on the black list of the Tokyo MOU flag state performance consortium.Her Equasis port state control record shows a pattern of minor deficiencies reported by inspectors at Vladivostok, including issues with her interior lighting, sanitation and engine room instrumentation.
