According to the latest foreign media news, Indian authorities have filed a case regarding the fire incident of the container ship “Wan Hai 503” near the coast of Kerala, India, launching a criminal investigation into the ship’s captain and crew. The ship is still smoldering in a certain sea area.

According to Indian media reports, officials have determined that the fire might have been caused by misdeclared explosive cargo. The misdeclaration occurred during the land portion of the logistics process, before the container reached the terminal and was loaded onto the ship. Misdeclared dangerous goods are usually a hidden threat beyond the knowledge or control of the crew, potentially exposing them to significant risks of injury or death.

Local police said they have received a preliminary criminal complaint against the container ship “Wan Hai 503” and the surviving crew, charging them with responsibility for the cargo fire that led to the disappearance of four crew members. The charges are broad, including navigation negligence, obstruction of navigation, negligence in handling toxic substances, negligence in handling flammable substances, and endangering life with explosives. Another charge of conspiracy applies to the alleged unified actions of the crew.

“After the explosion, the crew immediately abandoned the ship to escape. The cargo ship’s crew is trained in firefighting operations, but their decision to leave the ship is questionable,” a senior port official told the media.

Currently, no charges have been announced against any onshore entities suspected of misdeclaring the cargo. However, officials at Nhava Sheva Port are said to be investigating whether a shipping company booked explosives as ordinary cargo.

The four missing crew members in the explosion will not face charges. On Monday, a body washed ashore in Alappuzha, Kerala, and DNA testing will be conducted to determine if it is a crew member of the “Wan Hai 503.”

For safety reasons, the Indian Coast Guard and a commercial salvage company have towed the “Wan Hai 503” about 60 nautical miles offshore, and firefighting response operations continue. According to local media reports, some smoke is still emerging from the ship, but no water pollution has been observed.

Another source said follow-up arrangements will depend on the ship’s condition. If the hull is intact, the shipowner and insurance company may attempt to berth the ship at a nearby port to unload the containers on board. Currently, although some containers may have charred exteriors, the extent of damage cannot be confirmed and requires inspection.

Currently, Wan Hai is cooperating with Indian coastal authorities and Singaporean authorities in the investigation of this casualty incident.

On June 16, Wan Hai Lines issued an important notice, reiterating the policy on cargo under reporting/.

It is again emphasized that all customers must truthfully and correctly declare cargo. For any untruthful declaration such as under reporting of cargo, the carrier has the right to charge liquidated damages from the cargo party in accordance with the transportation contract. The liquidated damages are $100,000 per UNIT. Details are as follows:

Once again, remind all cargo owners and freight forwarder friends to truthfully declare cargo names when booking space, and do not under report, so as to avoid huge liquidated damages, etc. Currently, the national maritime “Hundred-Day Tackling” operation to combat false reporting and under reporting of ship-borne dangerous goods is in progress. Do not under report or falsely report! Forward and inform~