German-flagged cargo vessel MSC Flaminia damaged by fire and explosion on its way from Charleston in the United States to the German port of Bremenhaven via Felixstowe in Britain and Antwerp in Belgium.
A burning German container ship carrying an array of dangerous chemicals was sailing just 30 miles off the south coast of Cornwall last night amid fears of a major leak.
The stricken MSC Flaminia, described as a “floating bomb”, has been burning for seven weeks in the Atlantic Ocean after an explosion left a crewman dead and caused extensive damage to the vessel.
It was due to be towed to Germany after limping around international waters since early July but its crew are now awaiting a final coastal inspection and permission from High Shaw, the government’s salvage representative, to continue.
But last night it emerged that a Russian master mariner had published a list of dangerous chemicals online, which he claimed was aboard the 86,000 tonne vessel, currently about 30 miles south of Land's End.
Amid fears of a major leak, Mikhail Voytenko, the former editor-in-chief of the online Sovfrakht Marine Bulletin, claimed the cargo in 149 containers was classed as hazardous, corrosive or flammable.
Among its contents were liquid polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], the pesticide isopropylamine, nitromethane, a fuel used in the Oklahoma City bombing, phosphorus, liquid amines and sodium.
"MSC Flaminia is actually a big chemical, toxic and miscellaneous dangerous substances floating bomb,” said Mr Voytenko, who fled from Russia in 2009 and is now exiled in Bangkok, Thailand.
“No wonder crew fled the vessel, no wonder EU states fear MSC Flaminia is just short of being a nuclear device ready to explode."
According to the Maritime Bulletin: "The number of the containers with dangerous goods seems to be unusually high, many of them are NOS – Not Otherwise Specified".
Mr Shaw has so far refused to allow Dutch, British and Italian tug skippers to tow it through British coastal waters until an international six-man team of inspectors can examine persistent "hot spots" in the hold.
Environmental groups have expressed outrage at the slowness of the response to the emergency and France's environment ministry has said that 37 of the containers on board the ship "could be a risk for the environment”.
There were 1,247 tonnes of heavy crude oil and 680 tonnes of diesel on board when the accident occurred, according to the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies.
The 984-foot ship had been on its way from Charleston in the United States to the German port of Bremerhaven after stops in Felixstowe, Suffolk, and Antwerp in Belgium.
An explosion occurred on the ship on July 14, about 300 nautical miles off the British coast, resulting in the death of one crew member while another remains missing.
The 23 people on board abandoned the ship and were picked up by an oil tanker.
Firefighting tugboats steamed to the scene to tackle the resulting blaze and the ship is now in a more stable condition after listing dangerously.
Earlier this week Mr Shaw, Britain’s representative for maritime salvage and intervention (Sosrep), said the safety inspections needed to be met before it could be towed to port.
The representative for maritime salvage was appointed after MSC Napoli was stranded off the coast of Devon in 2007.
“Until the coastal state inspection has taken place, and the results passed to the other coastal states en-route, the MSC Flaminia will not be given approval to proceed to Germany,” Mr Shaw said.
German authorities have said the ship had 2,876 containers on board at the time of the explosion, of which 151 held flammable cleaning fluids.
Earlier this month, Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies allowed it into its territorial waters and give permission for it to unload at an unused deep-water berth at the Jade-Weser-Port near Wilhelmshaven.
"It is in the interest of the federal republic to ensure the seaworthiness of the ship and prevent the ship or its cargo from harming the environment," said Hans-Werner Monsees, the head of the central command.
Both Napoli and Flaminia were on charter to the Mediterranean Shipping Company in Switzerland, it was claimed.
The ships German owners, Reederei NSB, have insisted it is safe and that no leaks were occurring.
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