Crew Members Rescued from Nigerian FSO Vessel After Fire

Following a fire outbreak, all 19 crew members aboard the Britania U floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel were successfully rescued.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) collaborated with other agencies and first responders to ensure the safe evacuation of the crew and other individuals at risk during the incident. Local media reported that the crew was picked up by the Nigerian navy vessel NSS Delta.

NIMASA confirmed over the weekend that the entire crew from the FSO, located at the Ajakpa field approximately 10.77 nautical miles south of the Forcados terminal in Nigeria, were safe and accounted for.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, but NIMASA's head of public relations, Osagie Edward, stated that the agency has launched an investigation into the incident.

NIMASA is also preparing a response plan to address potential oil spills or other environmental hazards that could affect marine safety and navigation.

The Britania U, with a capacity of 4,000 barrels per day (bpd), is operated by Nigerian independent producer Brittannia-U Nigeria Limited and stationed at the Ajapa oilfield, one of 24 marginal fields allocated to 31 Nigerian companies in 2003.

Production from the field commenced in January 2010, with Brittannia-U selling directly to Chevron, which transports the crude oil by shuttle barge to the Escravos export terminal.