An industry source said that the vessel was a feeder ship and the cargo would have been transshipment freight. He suggested the vessel had called at a number of ports in the Gulf and at Karachi in Pakistan before arriving in Jebel Ali.
Dubai media office Director General, Mona Al Marri said, “The fire at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port was caused by an explosion from a ‘normal accident’ in a container holding flammable material.”
After the explosion, emergency services quickly brought the fire under control – in less than an hour, according to a Jebel Ali Port statement.
Director General of Dubai Civil Defense Maj Gen Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi confirmed the fire was fully under control and the cooling process is under way.
No deaths or injuries were reported and the security company Dryad Global, investigating early reports that Israel had retaliated following last week’s attack on the CSAV Tyndall in the ongoing Israel/Iran shadow war, was adamant that there was no military involvement. “It is not how they [the Israeli armed forces] would target a vessel or Iran,” said a spokesman.
Jebel Ali port is owned and operated by the Dubai-based DP world. The port is located at the northern tip of Dubai and has 4 tumbling container terminals that can dock some of the largest vessels present globally. This busiest American warship's port of call outside the US is the largest established deep-water harbor on the globe.
DP world often describes the Jebel Ali port as the lifeline for Dubai and "gateway hub", as it has some vital links connecting the eastern and western markets, serving as the point of entry to the global trade network. The state-run company didn't issue any public declaration immediately after the explosion.
