Container Fire Forces HMM Platinum to Seek Refuge in South Africa

The container ship HMM Platinum, operated by South Korean carrier HMM, suffered a fire that originated in a container while sailing through the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Madagascar, on a voyage from Kattupalli, India, to Santos, Brazil. The company engaged salvage firm SMIT under the terms of the Lloyd's Open Form (LOF), and both the carrier and cargo claims specialists consider it likely that general average will be declared.

According to information from Dolphin Maritime and Aviation Services, the fire broke out in the early hours of October 7, after the vessel had departed Kattupalli on September 27. The ship, built in 2013 with a capacity of 5,593 TEU, was carrying approximately 2,300 containers at the time of the incident. HMM confirmed that the entire crew is safe, with no injuries reported, and that the propulsion and navigation systems are operating normally. An additional source placed the seat of the fire near Lavanono, at the southern tip of Madagascar, and noted that part of the cargo is temperature-sensitive.

It was initially reported that the HMM Platinum would head to Durban, South Africa, as a port of refuge, with arrival expected on October 8. However, later reports indicate that an alternative is being considered, with Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, among the options under review. HMM did not disclose the vessel's current position and stated that decisions regarding its final destination, as well as the investigation into the causes and extent of the damage, will be made once the fire is fully extinguished.

The appointment of professional salvors under the LOF agreement, which allows salvage operations to begin without fixing remuneration in advance, confirms that a formal salvage response is already underway. If general average is declared, cargo owners and other parties with interests in the voyage could be required to contribute proportionally to the extraordinary expenses incurred to preserve the vessel and cargo from a common peril, which could also require them to post general average security.

The Liberian-flagged HMM Platinum is one of five wide-beam container ships that HMM acquired in 2025 from Capital Clean Energy Carriers in a joint deal valued at around 300 million dollars. Its sister ships, all built in 2013, are the Hyundai Prestige, Hyundai Premium, Hyundai Paramount and Hyundai Privilege.