Safmarine Meru, a 4,650 TEU container vessel owned by Maersk Line, has been involved in a collision with Northern Jasper, a German-owned vessel, approximately 120 nautical miles east of Ningbo.

According to Maersk, Safmarine Meru suffered severe damage and a fire, leading to its crew of 22 abandoning ship. Maersk has since received confirmation that all crew are accounted for and safely on board Northern Jasper.

“We are very relieved that our crew are safe and have not suffered any serious injuries,” said Palle Brodsgaard Laursen, head of ship management at Maersk Line. “The safety of our people, at sea and on shore, is paramount to us.”

Firefighting continues on Safmarine Meru, which is afloat and anchored.

“It is too early to comment on the circumstances surrounding the collision and fire,” said Laursen. “Our focus now is to put the fire out and get access to the vessel to assess damage to the vessel and cargo.”

Northern Jasper was en route from Zhoushan to Yangshan, while Safmarine Meru, which was built in 2006 and registered in Hong Kong, was operating Maersk’s TP18 service en route from Qingdao to Ningbo, and carried fewer than 400 full containers, according to Maersk.