Fires finally extinguished on ship in Cape Town harbour

Cape Town – Several fires on a ship in the Cape Town harbour were extinguished on Tuesday, an official said.

No 101 Geumjeong, a Korean registered ship, caught alight on Saturday, but the fires were only put out three days later.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said in a statement that a pollution boom was being installed around the vessel to contain any possible spillage.

Its spokesperson, Tebogo Ramatjie, told News24 that they were not aware of any damage to the harbour.

Harbour spokesperson Coen Birkenstock said harbour activity had not been affected by the fires.

He said the incident was under investigation.

He could not confirm what had caught alight on the ship or what type of cargo the ship had been carrying.

"This is definitely not a regular occurrence within the harbour," Ramatjie said.  

Ramatjie was unable to say what the cost of the damage was or whether the ship would be able to be used again.

A contractor had been appointed for "mop-up" and salvaging operations.