Fire Aboard Container Ship "PUMBA" Near Gulf of Suez Successfully Extinguished: Petroleum Min.

Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed on Wednesday that a coordinated emergency response had successfully extinguished a fire aboard a container ship near Ras Gharib, averting a potential maritime disaster in the Gulf of Suez.

The incident began late Tuesday evening when the container vessel “PUMBA,” operated by global shipping giant MSC, sent out a distress signal after a fire broke out in its engine room while navigating the busy maritime corridor, approximately 3 nautical miles from the Southeast El-Hamra oil platform, operated by the General Petroleum Company.

Upon receiving the distress alert from the Ras Gharib Marine Surveillance Room, the Petroleum Ministry swiftly coordinated with relevant authorities and dispatched specialized marine units from the oil sector to assist in firefighting and rescue operations.

The vessels involved in the response included: Ocean Dahab tugboat, PMS-4 tugboat, and Misr-Gulf 15 tugboat.

Thanks to the rapid joint efforts, the fire was fully contained without any loss of life. The vessel was then towed to a designated safe anchorage area, well clear of critical operations and maritime routes.

Though the vessel is not affiliated with Egypt’s petroleum sector, the ministry emphasized that its intervention was part of its national and professional commitment to maritime emergency response, offering logistical and technical support to safeguard lives, maritime infrastructure, and the marine environment.

"The response reflects our sector’s readiness and responsibility to act promptly in the face of maritime hazards," a ministry spokesperson said.

The incident underscores the strategic importance of Egypt’s petroleum sector not just in energy production, but also in ensuring safety and resilience in the Red Sea and Suez maritime zones, among the busiest in the world.