The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, a key hub in global shipping, has been temporarily closed as a result of the incident.
Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China — A powerful explosion shook the Beilun Port, part of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port complex, earlier today, as reported by local Chinese media. The incident occurred at approximately 1:46 pm (local time) on Friday, involving the container vessel YM Mobility, owned by Yang Ming Marine Transportation.
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| A powerful explosion at Ningbo Zhoushan Port sends massive plumes of smoke into the sky as emergency crews respond to the incident involving the YM Mobility container vessel. |
The Post Panamax containership, with a capacity of 6,589 TEU and built in 2021, was berthed at the Ningbo Beilun Phase III Terminal when the explosion took place. The vessel, which was operating on a service route between the Far East and the Middle East Gulf region, was reportedly carrying hazardous cargo at the time of the blast.
Dramatic video footage of the incident shows a large plume of smoke rising from the ship, followed by a massive explosion that ignited a fire and scattered debris. The thick clouds of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky, visible from a distance.
According to China’s national broadcaster, CCTV, the explosion is believed to have originated from a container on the vessel. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far, as confirmed by local authorities. Rescue operations are currently underway, with the Ningbo Maritime Search and Rescue Center deploying three fire-fighting tugs to the scene to contain the situation.
Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming’s THE Alliance partner, issued a statement regarding the incident, stating, “This afternoon Ningbo time/ morning hours Hamburg time, there was an explosion on AG2 YM MOBILITY in the port of Ningbo, and therefore the port is closed now until further notice. Colleagues are in touch with the terminal trying to get an overview of what has happened exactly and how this incident will potentially affect the overall port operations going forward. The situation is still unclear.”
Yang Ming Marine Transportation also responded to the incident, noting that an investigation is underway. “Preliminary findings suggest that an explosion occurred in a container loaded with dangerous goods on board. According to the shipper’s declaration, the container was a reefer used as a substitute for a dry container, without requiring power connection. Immediate fire control measures were taken, and the situation is now under control. All crew members have safely evacuated. Huan Ming (Shanghai) International Shipping Agency Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Yang Ming Group, is actively coordinating with the authorities to manage the situation,” the company stated.
The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, a key hub in global shipping, has been temporarily closed as a result of the incident. The Ningbo and Zhejiang areas have been experiencing excessive heat in recent days, with temperatures reaching up to 39 degrees Celsius, which may have contributed to the incident.
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