Engine Room Fire Kills Two on Bulker off China

An engine room fire broke out on a Chinese-owned bulker while the vessel was sailing off Shandong in northern China. The vessel, the Mandy (180,371 dwt), is registered in Singapore, and the incident is being reported by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

The fire happened on the vessel as it was underway on Tuesday evening, February 17. The MPA reports there are 25 Myanmar crewmembers onboard. While they were able to extinguish the fire, two seafarers were reported to have been killed, and a third was injured and evacuated to a shore medical facility for
further treatment.

Unconfirmed reports from the Chinese Xinde Marine News said the chief engineer and an oiler were thought to be among the dead and injured. A Chinese government rescue vessel was believed to be assisting the bulker.

The vessel was built in 2010 and is managed by Pacific Rim Shipmanagement of Singapore. It appears to have been completing a voyage from Guinea and inbound for Yantai, China. The ship was twice cited for deficiencies during inspections in 2025, including issues with its machinery and the personal equipment for fire safety reported in China in March 2025. In June 2025, the vessel was detained for 15 days in Rotterdam after an inspection identified 25 deficiencies, including issues with machinery and fire safety.

The MPA reports it is in contact with the company and the relevant Chinese authorities to provide the necessary assistance. As the flag state for the vessel, it is planning an investigation.