A Cargo Ship Catches Fires! US Military Shoots Down a U.S. Navy Fighter in Red Sea 突发！货船自燃！美军在红海击落自己战机

Image Credit: The Internett, showing the ship fire accident in Grand Canal

图片来源于网络，为京杭大运河宿迁段货船自燃事故

On December 21, a serious cargo ship fire occurred in the Suqian section of the Grand Canal in China. A cargo ship, carrying 4 tons of diesel and 3 gas cylinders, suddenly caught fire, with flames spreading rapidly and thick smoke billowing at the scene. Fortunately, rescue personnel responded quickly and arrived at the site. After about half an hour of urgent firefighting efforts, the blaze was successfully extinguished, preventing a potential explosion and environmental pollution disaster.

12月21日，京杭大运河宿迁段发生了一起严重的货船自燃事故。一艘载有4吨柴油和3个煤气罐的千吨级货船突然起火，火势迅猛，现场浓烟滚滚。幸运的是，救援人员迅速响应并赶往现场，经过大约半小时的紧急扑救，大火被成功扑灭，避免了可能的爆炸和环境污染灾难。

 

Relevant departments are conducting a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident. Preliminary speculation suggests the fire may have been caused by aged wiring or a short circuit.

相关部门正在进行事故原因的详细调查。初步推测起火原因为线路老化或短路引发火灾。

 

Meanwhile, temporary traffic control has been imposed on the canal to ensure the safety of other vessels.

同时，对运河交通进行了临时管制，以确保其他船只的安全。

 

This incident serves as a reminder to all vessel operators to regularly inspect ship electrical circuits to prevent fires caused by wiring issues.

此次事故提醒所有船只运营者必须定期检查船舶的电气线路，防止因线路问题引发的火灾。

 

Ships should be equipped with sufficient firefighting equipment, and crew members should be well-versed in emergency procedures.

船只应配备足够的消防设备，并确保船员了解应急处理程序。

 

Recently, cargo ship accidents have been frequent, including collisions, oil spills, fires, and instances where cargo ships, while passing through local waters, were suspected of cutting cables and were required to undergo investigation.

近期，货船事故频发，除了相撞、溢油、起火等事故，还有货船途经当地海域被质疑切断电缆，被要求接受调查。

 

Suspected of Cutting the Cable

被质疑切断电缆

 

In November, two subsea cables suddenly broke off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that he believes this was an act of sabotage.

11月，波罗的海瑞典领海内两条电信电缆遭到破坏，德国国防部长Boris Pistorius表示，他认为这是一起破坏行为。

 

Investigators focused their suspicions on a Chinese bulk carrier that left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. Reuters analysis the data showed that the ship's coordinates corresponded with the time and place of the damage.

调查人员将怀疑焦点放在了中国的一艘散装货轮上，该船于11月15日离开俄罗斯乌斯特-卢加港，路透社分析显示，该船的坐标与破坏发生的时间地点相符。

 

China allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to board the cargo ship on December 21, to conduct an investigation together with Chinese investigators. After being anchored in the shipping lane near Denmark for over a month, the ship has now resumed its voyage.

中国于12月21日允许德国、瑞典、芬兰和丹麦的代表登上该货船，与中国调查人员一同进行调查。在丹麦附近航道停泊超过一个月后，该船现已恢复航行。

 

The Swedish Coast Guard revealed on Saturday that the ship has set sail for Port Said in Egypt and is being tracked, while maintaining close contact with other concerned authorities.

瑞典海岸警卫队于周六透露，该船已启程前往埃及的塞得港，并表示正在跟踪该船的动向，同时与其他相关当局保持密切联系。

 

US Military Shoots Down a U.S. Navy Fighter in Red Sea

美军在红海“自己打自己”

 

On December 21, a noteworthy incident also occurred involving a U.S. Navy cruiser.

除此之外，美军巡洋舰也发生了一起引人瞩目的事件。

 

Local time on December 21, the U.S. cruiser experienced a friendly fire incident in the skies over the Red Sea, where a cruiser mistakenly identified an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet as a threat and shot it down, causing two pilots to eject, with one suffering minor injuries.

当地时间12月21日，美国海军在红海上空发生了一起友军误击事件，一艘巡洋舰错误地将一架F/A-18超级大黄蜂战斗机视为威胁并将其击落，导致两名飞行员弹射逃生，其中一人轻伤。

 

This incident occurred after Houthi rebels in Yemen launched drone and missile attacks, prompting the U.S. Central Command to conduct airstrikes on Houthi missile storage and command and control facilities, as well as to shoot down several Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile in the skies over the Red Sea.

这起事件发生在也门胡塞叛军发射无人机和导弹袭击之后，美国中央司令部对胡塞导弹储存和指挥控制设施进行了空袭，并在红海上空击落了多架胡塞无人机和一枚反舰巡航导弹。

 

Recently, as the weather turns cold and the climate becomes more variable in winter, with poor sea conditions and geopolitical tensions, the occurrence of catastrophic accidents has increased. It is essential to strengthen the safety management of ships during winter navigation to prevent risks before they happen.

最近，天气转冷，冬季气候多变，海况恶劣，地缘政治紧张，灾害性事故多发。冬季航行应加强船舶安全管理，将风险防患于未然。

 

Common Causes of Shipping Accidents in Winter

冬季常见船舶事故原因

 

Here are common causes of ship accidents in winter:

以下是冬季常见船舶事故及发生原因：

 

Icing and Ice Jams: The freezing of rivers, lakes, and ports due to temperature drops causing the water surface to freeze is a natural phenomenon that hinders the normal passage of ships. Ice jams occur when floating ice accumulates in waterways, blocking navigation channels and increasing the risk of ship collisions or grounding. These phenomena usually occur when ice breaking or ice removal is not timely, preventing ships from passing safely.

结冰和冰塞：河流、湖泊和港口结冰是由于气温下降导致水面冻结，这种自然现象会阻碍船舶的正常通行。冰塞则是由于浮冰在河道中聚集，堵塞航道，增加了船舶碰撞或搁浅的风险。这些现象通常在没有及时破冰或清除浮冰的情况下发生，导致船舶无法安全通过。

 

Visibility Reduction: Fog and snow are common weather phenomena in winter that significantly reduce visibility, making it difficult for ships to detect obstacles or other vessels in time, thereby increasing the risk of collisions and groundings. Additionally, low visibility can also cause ships to deviate from their planned course, further increasing the likelihood of accidents.

能见度降低：雾和雪是冬季常见的天气现象，它们会显著降低能见度，使得船舶难以及时发现障碍物或其他船舶，从而增加了碰撞和搁浅的风险。此外，低能见度还可能导致船舶偏离预定航线，进一步增加事故发生的可能性。

 

Severe Sea Conditions: Winter storms and huge waves are a direct manifestation of natural forces, which can cause ships to capsize or cargo to shift. Severe sea conditions make ship handling more difficult, requiring higher skills and experience from the crew to cope, but even so, the unpredictability of natural forces remains a significant cause of accidents.

恶劣海况：冬季风暴和巨浪是自然力量的直接体现，它们可能导致船舶倾覆或货物移位。恶劣的海况使得船舶操控变得更加困难，船员需要更高的技巧和经验来应对，但即便如此，自然力量的不可预测性仍然是导致事故的重要因素。

 

Mechanical Failures: The impact of cold weather on ship machinery and electronic equipment is significant. Low temperatures can cause an increase in the viscosity of lubricating oils, affecting the normal operation of mechanical moving parts, and even causing equipment to freeze. Additionally, extreme temperature changes can also affect the stability of electronic equipment, increasing the risk of failures.

机械故障：寒冷天气对船舶机械和电子设备的影响是显著的。低温可能导致润滑油粘度增加，影响机械运动部件的正常运转，甚至导致设备冻结。此外，极端温度变化还可能影响电子设备的稳定性，增加故障发生的风险。

 

Crew Operational Errors: Cold weather can affect the physiological state of crew members, including reducing reaction speeds and increasing fatigue. These physiological changes can lead to operational errors, especially in emergency situations that require quick responses, where crew errors can directly lead to accidents.

船员操作失误：寒冷天气会影响船员的生理状态，包括降低反应速度和增加疲劳感。这些生理变化可能导致船员在操作中出现失误，尤其是在需要快速反应的紧急情况下，船员的操作失误可能会直接导致事故的发生。

 

Fuel Congestion: In extreme low temperatures, fuel oil may congeal due to the reduced fluidity as temperatures drop. Congestion of fuel can prevent engines from starting, causing ships to lose power and increasing the likelihood of encountering dangers during navigation.

燃油凝固：在极端低温下，燃油可能会凝固，这是因为燃油的流动性随着温度的降低而降低。燃油凝固会导致引擎无法启动，从而使得船舶失去动力，增加了船舶在航行中遇到危险的可能性。

 

Cargo Freezing: Certain cargoes may freeze at low temperatures, altering their physical properties such as weight and volume, thereby affecting the stability of the ship. Such changes in cargo can cause a shift in the ship's center of gravity, increasing the risk of capsizing.

货物冻结：某些货物在低温下可能会冻结，这会改变货物的物理特性，如重量和体积，从而影响船舶的稳定性。货物的这种变化可能会导致船舶重心偏移，增加船舶翻覆的风险。

 

Ship Fire Incidents: Ship fires may be caused by various factors, including aging electrical wiring and short circuits. These factors can become more active in winter due to cold weather, as crew members may use more electrical equipment to stay warm, increasing the load on the circuits and thereby raising the risk of spontaneous combustion.

船舶自燃：船舶自燃可能由多种因素引起，包括电气线路老化、短路等。这些因素在冬季可能因为寒冷天气而变得更加活跃，因为船员可能会使用更多的电气设备来保持温暖，增加了电路负荷，从而增加了自燃的风险。

 

Grounding and Reef Collision: Sea ice and floating ice in winter can alter shipping lanes, making the original routes unpredictable. Ships are more prone to grounding and reef collisions when navigating in unfamiliar waters, especially when navigational charts and maps are not updated in a timely manner.

搁浅和触礁：冬季海冰和浮冰可能改变航道，使得原有的航道变得不可预测。船舶在不熟悉的航道中航行时，更容易发生搁浅和触礁事故，尤其是在没有及时更新航行图和海图的情况下。

 

Exhaustion of Crew: Crew exhaustion may be caused by long working hours, irregular schedules, and harsh working conditions. In winter, due to shorter daylight hours and adverse weather conditions, crew members may have to work under more difficult circumstances, which can lead to a decline in their physical and mental state, thereby increasing the risk of operational errors.

船员过度劳累：船员过度劳累可能是由于长时间的工作、不规律的作息时间以及恶劣的工作环境造成的。在冬季，由于日照时间缩短和恶劣天气条件，船员可能需要在更加艰难的条件下工作，这可能导致他们的身体和心理状态下降，从而增加了操作失误的风险。

 

To reduce the winter ship accidents, there are some preventive measures:

为了减少冬季船舶事故，可以采取以下预防措施：

 

Advance preparation for vessel warning work

(1) Enterprises should supervise and inspect ships before the arrival of winter, increase investment in production safety, improve safety production systems; strengthen safety warning education for the "winter defense" and enhance safety training for crew members.

(2) The captain should always pay attention to weather changes, especially cold waves, temperature drops, freezing rain, and foggy snow, which directly affect the safe production of ships, and prepare and prevent early based on the characteristics of the ship.

提前做好船舶预警工作

（1）企业要在冬防来临前对船舶进行督促检查，要加大安全生产投入，健全安全生产制度；加强“冬防”安全警示教育，加强对船员的安全培训。

（2）船长要时刻关注天气变化，尤其是寒潮大风、降温冰冻、雨雪雾霾等直接影响到船舶安全生产的天气，并结合船舶自身特点，早准备早预防。

 

Enhance Winter Maritime Facility Inspections

(1) Ships' exposed pipes, water tanks, and fuel lines should be insulated against freezing during the cold winter months. Lifeboat fresh water tanks should not be filled more than 3/4, and lifeboats should be switched to antifreeze lubricating oil in a timely manner.

(2) Ships should properly winterize fire hoses, ensuring any remaining water is drained to prevent the hoses from freezing and being unusable in the event of a fire.

(3) Deck machinery and motors with heating and moisture-proof equipment should be activated; in severe cold, key mechanical and electrical equipment may need to be kept running.

(4) Outdoor gyro repeaters, revolution counter repeaters, and rudder angle indicators on ships should keep their illumination bulbs on around the clock.

(5) Cargo must be strictly secured, cushioned, and lashed according to the Securing Manual, with increased supervision to ensure that heavy cargo is stable, preventing shifts that could affect the ship's stability during heavy weather.

(6) During navigation, it is essential to regularly measure the levels of ballast water and sewage wells to detect any abnormal leakage in the cargo holds promptly.

加强冬季船舶设施检查

（1）船舶露出舱面的水管、水柜、油管在冬季寒冷时期，应包扎防冻。救生艇内的淡水箱，装水不可超过3/4，救生艇应及时换用防冻润滑油。

（2）船舶应做好消防水管的防冻工作，放尽其残水后再关闭，防止火灾因消防水管被冻而无法施救。

（3）船舶的甲板机械与电机中有加温防潮设备者应开启；在严寒时，对于关键的机电设备可视情况保持常开。

（4）船舶的室外电罗经复示器、转速表复示器、舵角指示器内的照明灯泡不论昼夜应保持常开。

（5）货物要严格按《系固手册》进行加固、衬垫、绑扎，加强监督检查，确保重大件货物稳固，防止遇到大风浪时发生货移影响了船舶稳性而发生意外。

（6）航行中要坚持测量压载水、污水井水位，以便及时发现货舱的异常渗漏情况。

 

Effective Use of Ship Communication Systems

(1) Make full use of navigation aids such as radar and AIS, and strengthen dynamic observation of the impact of severe winter weather on ship operations through various information channels like weather faxes and websites. Be prepared with weather information and navigation warnings, and take appropriate safety precautions for the ship.

(2) Strengthen watchkeeping; in the event of an emergency such as crew injury or falling overboard, the crew should remain calm and contact the maritime authorities immediately, reporting the ship's position, name, and other relevant information to await rescue.

有效利用船舶通信系统

（1）充分利用雷达、AIS等助航设备，通过气象传真和网站等各种信息渠道加强对冬季恶劣天气影响船舶运行的动态观察。提前了解天气信息和航行警告信息，并做好船舶的安全防范工作。

（2）加强值班，船舶一旦发生船员受伤、落水等突发状况，船上人员应保持镇定，第一时间与海事部门取得联系，报告船舶的位置，船名等信息，以待救援。

 

With the occur of severe weather in winter, ships face more serious challenges during navigation. To ensure safe navigation, we must take proactive preventive measures, from strengthening the early warning work of ships to meticulous facility inspections, and effectively utilizing communication systems. Each step is crucial for preventing accidents and protecting the lives and property of crew members. In the face of winter-specific challenges such as icing, reduced visibility, and severe sea conditions, the shipping industry must adopt stricter safety procedures and preventive measures. Through these efforts, we can reduce the risk of accidents and ensure the smooth progress of shipping activities.

随着冬季恶劣天气条件的增加，船舶航行面临着更加严峻的挑战。为了确保航行安全，我们必须采取积极的预防措施，从加强船舶的预警工作到细致的设施检查，再到有效利用通信系统，每一步都至关重要。这些措施对于预防事故、保护船员生命和财产安全至关重要。面对结冰、能见度降低和恶劣海况等冬季特有的挑战，航运业必须采取更为严格的安全规程和预防措施。通过这些努力，我们可以降低事故发生的风险，确保航运活动的顺利进行。