Turkey earthquake causes massive shipping container fire caught on video, Maersk says
Port of Iskenderun is in flames following 7.8-magnitude earthquake affecting Turkey and Syria
Fire erupts at port in Iskenderun, Turkey following earthquake
A fire that has broken out at a port in southern Turkey following an earthquake there Monday. (Credit: @AFKaratay/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
A fire that broke out at a port in southern Turkey following a devastating earthquake there Monday has caused "significant damage," Maersk says.
The blaze, captured on video, in Iskenderun comes as authorities in Turkey and Syria are searching for survivors after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the region, killing more than 5,000 people.
"As a result of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on Monday 6 February 2023, the Port of Iskenderun obtained significant damage and a subsequent fire broke out amongst containers at the terminal in the evening," Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, which is one of the world’s largest shipping companies, said Tuesday in a statement.
Maersk said, "teams have been working to assess the situation and potential loss of cargo, but at this time the fire is yet to be controlled fully by local authorities on the ground.
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The fire broke out among shipping containers at the port of Iskenderun, Maersk said. (@AFKaratay/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
"It’s not yet known how long recovery efforts will take and when the port can undergo a full inspection of the damage, but we will keep you informed as soon as we hear the latest developments," it added.
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Maersk says it is unknown how long recovery efforts will take at the Port of Iskenderun in southern Turkey. (@AFKaratay/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX)
The company said "Roads have also been heavily affected, and at this time vendors are not moving any trucks in and around the area.
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Shipping containers sit aboard a Maersk container ship at the Port of Los Angeles on Feb. 9, 2022, in San Pedro, California. Maersk is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Given the situation at Iskenderun, we will need to perform a change of destination for all bookings bound for the port or already on the water," it also said.
Maersk, as of 2023, says it has more than 730 container vessels deployed and 67 terminals across 42 countries.