Recently, a transport ship named Grande Costa dAvorio caught fire at the Newark terminal, drawing widespread attention. The ship was carrying more than 1,200 cars and 157 containers, destined for West Africa. The fire occurred on the ships No. 10 deck during loading operations. According to the ship operator, there were no electric vehicles on board.

According to reports, Gallagher Marine Systems (GMS), representing shipowner Grimaldi Deepsea, participated in the disaster response. GMS President Thomas Wiker stated at a press conference that the fire is expected to burn for several more days and explained that a specific timeline cannot be provided.

The fire resulted in the deaths of two New Jersey firefighters and injuries to five others. Maritime firefighting experts made significant progress after actively working onshore and on the water to extinguish the blaze. The Coast Guard stated, As of Saturday afternoon, the fire was under control and being extinguished on Deck 11, with no further spread to other areas of the vessel.,

The fire is having broader impacts on the ports of New York and New Jersey. Port Director Rooney noted that beyond the fire itself, concerns remain about operations in other parts of the port. He described the impact so far as moderate.,

Recent closures of shipping lanes near the port have affected cargo transport, primarily for automobiles. He also stated that other auto carriers docked at the port in the past 36 hours were impacted and remain at anchor. The port is implementing contingency plans to redirect this cargo.

However, the impact on container terminals has been negligible. According to Rooney, approximately 99.5% of container activity remains unaffected by these events. The port will continue monitoring the situation and work closely with terminal operators to mitigate any effects, using contingency plans to maintain commercial operations.

Overall, while the closure of port shipping lanes has affected a small portion of auto transport activity, the impact on container operations is negligible. The port will take measures to ensure smooth operations. This incident serves as another reminder that safety remains paramount in the transportation industry.