The Chronicle Herald
Published: 3 hours ago
Updated: 3 hours ago
Smoke rises from the Yantian Express at sea Jan. 15. – Midshipman Cameron Brunick / U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
The Yantian Express is no longer heading for Halifax.
The 320-metre vessel, currently 2,315 kilometres from the Bahamas, is to arrive at the Port of Freeport in the Bahamas next week, a Hapag-Lloyd news release said. It is now sailing under its own power, with a tug escort.
The amount of damage to cargo, after a container caught fire on Jan. 3 before spreading to several others, is still unknown. The cargo will be assessed when the vessel arrives at Freeport.
Seventeen Filipino seafarers arrived in Halifax on Jan. 16 after being evacuated from the Yantian Express on Jan. 5 and 6.
The remaining five of the 22-member crew returned to the vessel on Jan. 9 after the fire was under control.
The Yantian Express was originally making its way to Halifax from Colombo, Sri Lanka.