Russian Rescue Service Responds to Explosion and Fire on MSC Boxship Meanwhile Ukrainian media outlet United 24 reported the MSC Giada III is part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

Multiple shipping media reports,  and regional emergency-response activity indicate that the MSC-operated, Liberia-flagged feeder container ship MSC Giada III (39,000 dwt) (about 2,732 TEU) suffered an engine-room explosion while approaching St Petersburg in the Gulf of Finland.. The incident reportedly triggered a fire that spread to the vessel’s deck superstructure, with images circulating online showing flames and heavy smoke around the aft accommodation/superstructure Details are coming from Russian media reports of the incident without official confirmation from the maritime services or MSC.

The crew included Myanmar nationals and a Russian captain

According to the information currently available, the ship was on passage from Belgium to St Petersburg when the blast occurred. There were 22 crew members onboard, and no injuries have been reported. Social-media and Russian-media re-shares suggest the crew included Myanmar nationals and a Russian captain (this detail remains unconfirmed by official sources at the time of writing). the ship. Images posted by the Russian media show flames at the rear of the accommodation block.

The rescue vessel Spasatel Karev and the icebreaker Semyon Dezhnev 

The rescue vessel Spasatel Karev and the icebreaker Semyon Dezhnev to aid. were dispatched from the port of St. Petersburg to provide assistance. The containership is registered in Liberia and has operated for MSC since 2022. Reports indicate it has a Russian captain and at least some of the crew are from Myanmar. Within a few hours, the fire was completely extinguished. 

Ukrainian media : The ship is part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

As a result of the incident, the ship’s hull was not damaged, and no fuel leakage was reported. After the fire was extinguished, the damaged container ship was towed to the port of St. Petersburg. The "MNS | Moscow" channel reports that However, according to Starboard Maritime Intelligence data, "Spasatel Karav" had not left the port of St. Petersburg since the evening of February 4, while "Semyon Dezhnev" was indeed in the area of the alleged incident on the afternoon of February 5. . Meanwhile Ukrainian media outlet United 24 reported the MSC Giada III is part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

Offline of the vessel’s AIS signal

Russian media is reporting the vessel’s AIS signal went offline on the evening of February 4 while it was in Neva Bay. The ship appeared in Saint Petersburg on February 5, apparently towed into port. Its AIS signal has been restored and shows the vessel berthed .Emergency assets from the St Petersburg area reportedly responded quickly, including rescue units and an icebreaker, and the fire was said to be brought under control within hours. The vessel was subsequently towed into the Port of St Petersburg for inspection and assessment. Early reports also suggest no hull breach and no fuel spill notifications, though these points should be treated as preliminary until confirmed by the port authority, relevant maritime agencies, or the operator.

At this stage

At this stage, the root cause of the explosion and the extent of damage have not been publicly confirmed. Questions remain around potential machinery failure (main/auxiliary systems), fuel or lube-oil system issues, electrical faults, or other initiating events, as well as whether any cargo-related factors played a role. Further clarity will depend on official statements and investigation updates.

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The vessel and the incident is unrelated to the Baltic Spirit,

The vessel and the incident is unrelated to the Baltic Spirit, a Bahamas-flagged cargo ship boarded by Estonian authorities Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of narcotics smuggling. That vessel continued its journey towards St. Petersburg in the early hours of Thursday, after it was not found to be containing any drugs or other contraband.

About : MSC Giada II

Built in 2002,(around 24 years old) it is a 2,700 TEU feeder that MSC employs on a route servicing the Baltic, Spain, and Portugal. The online schedule indicates the ship left Agadir and had made a stop in Antwerp before heading to Russia. It was due to proceed on to Riga and Klaipeda. Public vessel databases show MSC Giada II is approximately 210.9 m in length and 32.2 m in beam, , and trades regularly on Europe–Baltic–Russia routes. Third-party tracking (including platform data referenced in Chinese-language reports) suggests the vessel’s track showed anomalies late on 4 February, with the ship arriving around midday on 5 February for checks—broadly consistent with the reported timeline (exact timestamps still require authoritative confirmation).

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Source : tgp_news + Other sources 

#MSC Giada II # Baltic Spirit #Semyon Dezhnev #Port of St Petersburg  #Myanmar nationals #Shadow Fleet #Spasatel Karev#Engine-room explosion