The Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, which caught fire 44 nautical miles off the Azhikkal coast, is now adrift—and poses a major environmental hazard in the Arabian Sea. Alarming details from the cargo manifest reveal the vessel holds 157 containers with dangerous goods classified under four IMDG (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) classes.

Among these, 20 containers house flammable solids (Class 4.1), including nitrocellulose with high alcohol content, naphthalene, and paraformaldehyde. Critically, one container holds over 4,900 kg of spontaneously combustible organometallic substances (Class 4.2)—pyrophoric materials that can ignite upon contact with air or water.

The situation is further compounded by 20 containers holding highly toxic chemicals (Class 6.1), including 183 tonnes of bipyridylium pesticide and nearly 28 tonnes of ethyl chloroformate, a corrosive and poisonous substance. Other lethal agents onboard include dimethyl sulphate and hexamethylene diisocyanate.

The ship is also laden with flammable liquids (Class 3), including ethanol, paint, turpentine, industrial solvents, and printing inks. In addition, several containers contain environmentally hazardous substances such as lithium batteries, trichlorobenzene, and benzophenone.

The intense fire has made it impossible for firefighting vessels to approach, as extreme heat and chemical reactivity risk container collapse and further explosions. Already, several containers have tumbled into the sea.

Azhikkal port officer Arun Kumar PK confirmed the presence of high-risk cargo spanning IMO classes 3, 4.1, 4.2, and 6.1.

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