Emergency Services were tasked on Tuesday evening, 24th January, to Belfast Harbour after smoke was reported onboard a Stena vessel on route to Heysham.
The Stena Scotia freight vessel departed Belfast at 8:30pm yesterday evening with 22 crew and 10 truck drivers onboard. However around 9pm the crew reported that there was a trailer that was heating, with a small amount of smoke coming from it.
Crews onboard cooled the trailer with hoses, and as a precaution a decision was made for the vessel to return to port, and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was tasked to the scene.
A spokesperson for the Fire Service said:
“Yesterday (Tuesday 24 January 2023) at 9.15pm Stena Line crews contacted NIFRS when they identified smouldering from the contents of a trailer on an articulated lorry on board a ship at Victoria Terminal 1, Dargan Road, Belfast. 13 Fire Appliances and 68 Firefighters from NIFRS attended the incident.
“The lorry was removed from the ship to the quayside and a container was dealt with by Stena Line crews and NIFRS Firefighters."
The ship then proceeded on its scheduled journey to Heysham.
A spokesperson for Stena Line commented:
"The swift action of the ship’s crews prevented the situation developing into anything worse. We are grateful for the assistance of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service."
It is understood that the smouldering was caused by waste aluminium in the trailer which was oxidising.
The incident was dealt with by 11.45pm.