A serious maritime incident occurred off the Indian port of Kandla on Sunday afternoon, as the Hong Kong-flagged product tanker Fulda suffered a fire and explosion while en route to Port Sohar, Oman. The blast, which occurred during gas-freeing operations, triggered an emergency evacuation of all 21 crewmembers and prompted an extensive response from Indian authorities.
According to India’s Directorate General of Shipping, the explosion was first reported at approximately 1305 IST by a nearby vessel, Team Focus. The 26-year-old Fulda, which had departed Kandla earlier that morning at 1100 IST, was said to have developed a 22-degree list to starboard, later shifting to port as onboard actions were taken.
By 1900 IST, the vessel’s master formally requested evacuation. All 21 crew—including 11 Chinese, two Bangladeshi, one Indonesian, and seven Myanmarese nationals—were safely taken off the vessel by the tug Orchid Star, dispatched from Kandla.
Though the situation was initially reported as under control, the evolving conditions and severe structural impact led the master to request immediate assistance.
The 19,477 dwt ship, owned by Hong Kong-based Fulda Industrial, was reportedly carrying 384.17 metric tons of fuel, and while no oil pollution has been confirmed, a full-scale pollution prevention effort has been activated.
Preliminary inputs suggest the explosion was linked to improper handling of flammable vapours during gas-freeing operations—a hazardous yet routine procedure used to ventilate tanks of residual volatile gases before maintenance or loading the next cargo. Fulda had been carrying a methanol, and inadequate flushing and purging may have allowed a flammable vapour-air mix to build up.
Experts indicate that a lack of proper bonding or poorly maintained equipment may have created static electricity, igniting the mixture. Final conclusions await an official investigation.
In response to the emergency, two tugs, the Indian Coast Guard vessel ICGS C-429, and the Pollution Control Vessel Samudra Pavak were deployed to the site. As of the latest update, two Indian Coast Guard interceptor boats remain on station monitoring the Fulda, which is still afloat with no reported water ingress.
All surrounding vessels have been advised to maintain safe distance from the Fulda due to potential fire or pollution hazards.
