International maritime security and shipping reports on Wednesday indicated that a floating LNG storage unit and an FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit) at Egypt’s Damietta Port on the Mediterranean were involved in a security incident, with conflicting accounts ranging from a drone attack to an accidental onboard fire.
International Maritime Security Account:
The British maritime security firm Ambrey reported in a preliminary assessment that a U.S.-owned LNG floating storage unit flying the Marshall Islands flag was struck by at least one drone while unloading its cargo at Damietta Port. 🚁 💥
The incident reportedly caused an explosion, material damage, and the evacuation of the vessel’s crew. ⚠️ 🚢
Sources cited by Reuters also indicated that drones may have been responsible for the explosions.
Official Egyptian Account:
Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources stated that a fire broke out aboard both the regasification vessel and the storage vessel at Damietta Port. 🔥
The ministry said emergency response procedures were immediately activated and confirmed that the incident resulted in no casualties or injuries. ✅
Egyptian security sources denied the initial reports of a drone attack, attributing the incident instead to an internal engine fire aboard one of the vessels. ⚙️ 🚫 🚁
Operational Response:
Port management and shipping companies, including Maresk and Inchcape, confirmed that the affected vessels were safely moved away from the port area. 🚢 ➡️
Authorities expect normal operations at the remaining terminals and berths to resume progressively, while technical teams continue investigating the exact cause of the incident and its implications. 🔍 ⚓