NEITHER the superstructure, engine room nor stern or bow sections of the stricken 6,732-TEU MSC Flaminia appeared much affected by the fire and explosion on July 14, according to the ship's managers after looking at photos taken from a vessel in North Atlantic where the accident took place.

"Although damage to the ship and its cargo cannot be assessed until the salvage captain from the Smit International tug has reported, it appears that neither the superstructure, engine room, the stern section nor the forecastle is directly affected by the fire or the explosion," said a statement from NSB Niederelbe, the German ship management company. 

Pictures were taken from the 5,618-TEU Hanjin Ottawa that was diverted to the scene of the accident. NSB Niederelbe also advised that the second engineer, because of his technical expertise, was transferred from the Hanjin Ottawa to the deepsea tug to assist with the fire-fighting operation. 

CLARIFICATION: MSC has asked us to remind our readers that the official inquiry into the MSC Chitra accident outside of Mumbai cleared the shipping company of any blame in an earlier collision. Further, we apologise for naming the MSC ship lost off New Zealand the "MSC Rena" when its name is simply the "Rena". MSC also asks us to remind readers that the Rena was under a time charter and not directly managed by the company, as was the Carol, which more recently ran aground off Jakarta. We apologise for any misunderstanding our report may have caused.