Maersk has confirmed that the container ship MARIE MAERSK resumed eastbound sailing around the Cape of Good Hope on August 24, following a container fire earlier on board.

The ship was photographed on August 22, when a supply vessel arrived carrying additional firefighting equipment. After nearly two weeks of managing the onboard container fire, the team confirmed that the vessel was safe to navigate, with the fire successfully controlled in African waters with assistance from external firefighting teams and brought equipment.

Maersk released two images taken on Friday, August 22, showing the supply ship at the scene delivering extra firefighting gear. The containers on board, which are nearly fully loaded, showed no obvious signs of fire damage. The MARIE MAERSK has a rated capacity of over 19,000 TEUs. “After inspecting the affected areas of the vessel and consulting carefully with authorities and classification societies, we deemed it safe for MARIE MAERSK to resume her eastbound voyage on Sunday. The next destination port is under final review, and we will notify once confirmed,” Maersk stated.

The vessel had anchored off Liberia’s west coast for a week, with smoke first detected in containers on August 13. To allow firefighting equipment closer access, the ship was moved nearer to shore. Later last week, it navigated around Africa’s west coast and received additional supplies near Côte d’Ivoire.

AIS signals indicate the ship is currently en route to Cape Town, South Africa, with plans to stop in Malaysia before continuing to China. Maersk emphasized that navigation systems and machinery were undamaged, and the vessel remained stable.

External firefighting teams remain onboard, with “special measures” implemented to ensure safe navigation. Maersk noted that interim stops might occur to handle damaged containers at optimal locations and minimize disruptions within its network. Contingency measures are in place if the planned voyage requires adjustments.

The company did not disclose the locations of the burning containers or the nature of their cargo. In general, misdeclared or improperly packed cargo is one of the most frequently cited hazards for container ships. Maersk stated that the full extent of losses will only be known once the containers from the affected areas are unloaded at port.