Everlasting-Harvest

Roughly 500 Jordanian traders have been grappling with severe economic losses following the fire aboard the 'ASL Bauhinia' on Jan 31, en route from Jebel Ali Port to Aqaba. The blaze destroyed 774 containers—both 20- and 40-foot units—owned by Jordanian merchants, with an estimated total value of around 60 million Jordanian dinars (approximately USD 84.5 million). To pursue legal action, the Jordan Chamber of Commerce has selected the law firm BLK, following a review of several options, and will work in coordination with global maritime law specialists. The Chamber has also formed a joint committee with affected traders to follow up on all aspects of the case, aiming to ensure a proper legal process is in place to recover the traders’ losses.

Current photos were showing a large-scale fire in the foreship area of ​​the "ASL Bauhinia" on the starboard side. Dangerous goods were suspected to be a potential source of the fire, or the often non-compliance with the legally prescribed separation regulations for dangerous goods of different dangerous goods classes. The box carrier, which is classified Class NK and sails for the shipping company ASL (Asean Seas Lines),, was en route from Jebel Ali with a general course for the Suez Canal when the fire broke out. The port of destination was to be Aqaba. Attacks on the freighter by the Houthi rebels operating from Yemen has been ruled out. With the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, they had declared that they would refrain from new attacks on shipping in the Red Sea until further notice.

The fire on the 'ASL Bauhinia' was probably the result of an explosion in the cargo and not a Houthi attack. The crew managed to safely leave the burning ship and were taken aboard a nearby vessel. At the time of the explosion, the ship was approximately 140 miles off the coast of Hodeida. The ship's cargo was described as dangerous, without providing further details. The abandoned ship was still on fire. There were fears that the ship and its cargo will have to be considered lost.