HMM said a tugboat left Dubai port in the United Arab Emirates at about 8:30 p.m. on May 6 to assist the vessel.
Once the tug reaches the area, it will secure the Namu and begin towing it to Dubai port, where a repair shipyard is located. Based on the distance, the ship is expected to arrive as early as the night of May 7 or early May 8.
HMM said it will conduct a detailed inspection after the vessel arrives safely at the shipyard, then move to determine the cause of the fire and begin full repairs.
The fire broke out after an explosion at about 8:40 p.m. on May 4 (Korea time) on the port side of the engine room while the Namu was anchored inside the Strait of Hormuz, north of Sharjah in the UAE.
The Panama-flagged ship is operated by HMM, South Korea’s largest shipping company. It has 24 crew members on board: six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals. No injuries were reported.
HMM currently has five vessels stuck inside the Persian Gulf: two crude oil and petroleum product carriers, two bulk carriers and one container ship. The Namu is a bulk carrier.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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