The container ship, identified as the feeder MSC Giada III (Liberian flag, operated by MSC) suffered an explosion in the engine room while approaching Saint Petersburg, in the Neva Bay / mouth of the Neva River area, in the Gulf of Finland.
The incident caused a fire that spread to the deck superstructure, with images showing dense smoke and flames in the aft area. There were 22 crew members on board and, so far, there are no reports of injuries. Emergency services from the St. Petersburg area responded quickly, including rescue units and an icebreaker, and the fire was brought under control within hours.
The ship was then towed to the port of Saint Petersburg for inspection and damage assessment. Preliminary information points to the absence of rupture in the hull and no reports of fuel spills, but these points require confirmation by competent maritime authorities and entities. Public ship bases indicate that the MSC Giada III is approximately 210.9 meters long, 32.2 meters wide, was built in 2002 (approx. 24 years) and operates frequently on Europe–Baltic–Russia routes, with a capacity of around 2,732 TEU.
The cause of the explosion has not been confirmed: common hypotheses in cases of this type include failures of main/auxiliary machinery, problems with fuel or lubricating oil systems, or electrical faults, all of which depend on technical expertise and any communications from the operator/authorities.
Photo: MMS
