The containership ONE Henry Hudson has returned to the Yusen Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles after a firefighting operation that lasted several days. The fire started on the ship while it was docked last Friday, and firefighting teams worked hard to control it.

With a Unified Command involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the Port of Los Angeles Police Department, and the vessel's representative, crews are now moving on to safely offloading the cargo and water that collected during firefighting.

The fire broke out on Friday evening in hard-to-reach compartments below deck while the ship was docked. All 23 crew members were successfully evacuated, and no one was injured.

Nearly 200 firefighters from Los Angeles City responded, with support from Long Beach Fire, the Coast Guard, Port Police, and Cal OES. An explosion in the middle of the ship on Friday night caused a loss of power, which forced firefighting crews to retreat and fight the fire from the dock instead.

Once hazmat risks were evaluated, the Unified Command decided to undock the vessel and move it offshore in an extensive overnight operation. By early Saturday, the ship was anchored about a mile away from Angel’s Gate Lighthouse, where cooling and suppression efforts were carried out container by container, along with stability checks.

“The safe transit and return of the vessel to port show the effectiveness of our Unified Command and all supporting agencies who have worked tirelessly since the incident began,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy, the Incident Commander. “Our main concern is to ensure the safety of this operation through to its completion.”

On Wednesday, crews evaluated the ship’s stability to prepare for its return to port. Longshore labor teams finished securing the cargo on Wednesday afternoon while the vessel remained anchored.

A safety zone was maintained during the vessel's return, with firefighting resources accompanying the ship and remaining prepared to act if needed.

The Coast Guard and Los Angeles Port Police Hazardous Materials Team are monitoring air quality on the vessel and in nearby communities. The air quality levels are below State and Federal action levels, and no problems have been found outside the safety zone.

All hazardous materials, including the water used in firefighting, have been contained on the ship. After returning to its berth, the firefighting water will be taken away for treatment.

The salvage company DONJON-SMIT has temporarily taken charge of the vessel and has brought in experts from around the world to manage marine firefighting operations and ensure a safe return of the ship to port.

“We are collaborating with salvage experts, the vessel's crew, local labor, and the entire Unified Command to safely resolve this incident,” said Los Angeles Port Police Deputy Chief Greg McManus, who is also the Incident Commander.

Assessments of the vessel's stability will continue as operations progress. Once it returns to the dock, salvage and longshore labor crews will work together to remove both affected and unaffected cargo.

Salvage efforts have been focused on cargo hold 03, which is estimated to be about 80% flooded due to the initial firefighting, but there are currently no concerns about the ship's stability.

The incident temporarily closed four out of seven container terminals and led to closures of State Route 47 because of smoke, but port operations have now resumed. The Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the fire's cause.

“We appreciate our partners for effectively containing and extinguishing the fire aboard the containership ONE Henry Hudson,” the Port of Los Angeles stated. “With community safety as our top priority, their dedicated efforts allowed for the safe transport of the ship, and our entire port community is grateful.”