The Port of Baltimore reported mid-afternoon on Tuesday that the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the shipping channel into Baltimore following the explosion and fire aboard the bulker W-Sapphire last night. As of midday on Tuesday, August 19, a dozen large vessels were waiting for the Fort McHenry Federal Channel while the U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into the incident.
AIS signals show the vessels holding south of the harbor in the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Maryland. It includes MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and CMA CGM containerships, as well as bulkers and two vehicle carriers that were unable to proceed into Baltimore as the Patapsco River had been closed to all vessel traffic. There are other ships at the Dundalk and Sparrows Point terminals in Baltimore. The first vessels started moving after 5:00 p.m. local time with some restrictions still on traffic.
The Port of Baltimore had advised that it will be the U.S. Coast Guard that would “determine when the channel can safely reopen, as well as the timing of vessel arrivals and departures.”
The W-Sapphire (81,681 dwt) remains anchored in the channel. Several McAllister tugs were standing by the vessel. Built in 2012, the vessel is registered in Liberia and managed from Greece. In February 2025, the vessel was cited for issues with fire safety by the Australians during a Port State inspection, and in May, it received 11 deficiencies during an expanded inspection in Spain. It was cited for issues ranging from the gyro and magnetic compass to fire safety and crew welfare, but the vessel was not detained.
The Baltimore Fire Department reports it responded to the vessel last night and assisted with the firefight below deck. They said the fire was extinguished, but there are visible signs of damage both from the explosion and the subsequent fire. During the radio communication, the vessel said it was taking water into its number two hold after the explosion, but was afloat and still underway.
During the explosion, the Coast Guard reports a hatch detached and entered the water and its exact location was unknown. The US Army Corps of Engineers deployed a sonar-equipped survey vessel to the incident site at approximately 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The Buck collected data to identify any obstructions to the safe navigation of traffic entering or exiting the Port of Baltimore via the Fort McHenry Federal Channel. They located the hatch and reduced the restrictions while saying it would be retrieved.
The Coast Guard said that there were 23 crewmembers and two pilots aboard the bulker as it departed the terminal and was outbound to Africa. They are reporting that there were no injuries to the people aboard and that damage was limited to the vessel. The Coast Guard established a 2,000-yard safety zone around the incident location, spanning from the Key Bridge to Brewerton Angle Channel LB “14”.
Following the explosion aboard the W-Sapphire, members of the Baltimore County Police Department’s Marine Team assisted in securing a perimeter around the vessel Monday night. The department released the audio from the Marine Channel in the moments after the explosion as everyone was trying to determine what was occurring.
The first report of the incident was received from a distress call via VHF channel 16 at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. The vessel clearly says that it was reporting a coal explosion. The second pilot stepped in to manage the communication from the vessel as the crew was working to stop the vessel and control the unfolding situation, including the fire.
The Coast Guard said in an update midday on Tuesday that crews are awaiting verification to confirm safe conditions before proceeding with further investigations onboard the vessel.
Reference : Baltimore Channel Reopens With Backlog Following Vessel Explosion