L-ion cargo fire ship Genius Star XI docks in Dutch Harbor

Photo: USCG

Genius Star XI, the ship carrying lithium-ion batteries that reported a cargo hold fire December 28, has now docked in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The Unified Command overseeing the response to the incident says that the move has been made “to streamline logistics and provide a safer environment necessary for the timely completion of ongoing work.”

When we last reported on the incident, on January 2, the Genius Star XI had been move to a mooring in Broad Bay, near Dutch Harbor, with a one-mile safety zone around it, as response efforts continued.

The vessel moved to the dock in Dutch Harbor based on recommendations from the salvage master, Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team, and other technical experts with knowledge and experience on how best to re-secure the cargo.

Genius Star XI relocated to the Unalaska Marine Center Dock 1 and 2 where responders will work to re-secure the lithium-ion industrial battery unit cargo that was damaged at the end of December 2023. The vessel’s crane will be used to load supplies to re-secure damaged and dislocated cargo. There is no plan to land any cargo from the vessel shoreside in Dutch Harbor.

The duration of the vessel at dockside will depend on port operations and competing needs for the dock space.

Prior to entering port, the community air monitoring system was repositioned as directed by the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team and local public safety officials. There have been no reports of abnormal air quality on the ship or in the community since the start of the incident. The CO2 bottles for the vessel’s onboard firefighting system are being replenished, a requirement for the vessel to eventually continue its voyage beyond Dutch Harbor.

“Moving the ship to a pier allows workers a safer and more efficient environment to work and mitigates work delays caused by weather or rough seas,” said Capt. Chris Culpepper, Captain of the Port. “Based on the recommendations of several agencies and technical experts we are confident operations can be conducted safely and with no additional risk to the community to expedite preparing the vessel to continue its voyage.”

The Unified Command consists of the Coast Guard, Gallagher Marine Systems on behalf of the owner of the vessel, which is operated by Wisdom Marine Lines SA of Taiwan,and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, all of whom continue to work together in response to this incident.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.