Tanker collision and fire off Dubai port

Technorati Tags: Baltic Dry Index,Baltic Dry Indices,Ship Chartering,Shipchartering,Voyage Fixtures,Time Charter Fixtures,Panamax,Capesize,Handymax,Handysize,Supramax,Dry Cargo Fixtures,Bulk Cargo Fixtures,Baltic Exchange,Freight Review,Maritime Baltic Index,TNT Freight Review,Kanoo shipping Agencies,DP World,Jebel ali Port

Dubai: The fire aboard a tanker off Dubai is now under control and the channel has reopened for vessel movement, reports Kanoo Shipping Agencies. Port operations have now resumed and all is back to normal.
Earlier an oil tanker was on fire after striking a container ship in a shipping channel at the city's Jebel Ali Port. A spokeswoman for port opeartor DP World, Sarah Lockie, said no casualties had been reported and that authorities had been alerted.
She said crews were trying to contain the blaze and determine how to clear the channel.
Clouds of smoke could be seen rising from the area of Tuesday's collision. The port is on the southwestern end of the city, in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
Lockie said the container vessel was a medium-sized "feeder ship." [10/02/09]