MIN JIANG KOU

Fire aboard two-year-old PCTC in the Pacific

Ro-roThe 22 crew members of COSCO Shipping’s MIN JIANG KOU were evacuated on 10 August with coordination assistance from the US Coast Guard while the dual-fuel LNG-powered PCTC was located 630 nautical miles south of Costa Rica. According to the US Coast Guard, the evacuation followed a fire in the ship’s engine room.

The fire was contained after the vessel’s CO2-based fire suppression system was activated. MIN JIANG KOU issued a distress call at 01:09 p.m. (LT), prompting two merchant ships in the area to head towards the stricken PCTC.

However, it was not until 11:33 p.m. (LT) the following day that MIN JIANG KOU’s master ordered the crew to evacuate in the lifeboat after heavy smoke allegedly spread on the ship.

They were picked up shortly afterwards by one of the vessels at the scene, the bulk carrier JIN HAI PING. The master remained on board. The 7,500-CEU MIN JIANG KOU was delivered by China’s Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in 2024.

aug 11 2026