Investigation launched into cause of FPSO fire

Crew evacuate FPSO after fire

NIGERIA: An investigation into the cause of the fire on the FPSO situated offshore Wari in Nigeria that resulted in the evacuation of all 19 crewmembers last week.

According to the vessel owners, Brittania-U, the fire, which occurred on Thursday last week, was brought under control the following day.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) received signals from the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center (RMRCC) Lagos, that Britania U, a drilling platform was under distress at Ajakpa Field, (OML 90), 10.77 nautical miles South of Forcadoes Terminal in Delta State, Nigeria on 18 July.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the responding agencies, all 19 crewmembers onboard the FPSO were successfully rescued from the vessel.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola set up an incident command centre in the office of the Agency’s Executive Director Operations, to prepare an effective situation-based response plan against oil spillage or other incidents affecting the marine environment and safety of navigation.

The Agency’s Marine Accident Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the direct and remote causes of incident. In their statement, Brittania-U has confirmed that they will also undertake a thorough investigation.