Massive explosion followed by huge fire shakes Dubai Port amid Riyadh-Dubai oil dispute

Amid disputes between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over increased oil production and exports, a merchant ship exploded in the port of Jebel Ali Port in Dubai early Thursday morning. (MNA)

The government's Dubai Media Office (DMO) claimed on Wednesday that a fire triggered by an explosion on a ship at Dubai's Jebel Ali Port, the Middle East's largest transshipment center, had been brought under control, according to Reuters.

DMO Director-General Mona Al Marri told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television that the explosion was a "normal accident" in a container storing combustible chemicals.

According to Arabiya, the culprit could have been "friction or high temperatures" during the hot summer months, according to Dubai police.

The detonation was heard by witnesses in residential areas between 15 and 22 kilometers from Jebel Ali.

There were no casualties or injuries, according to the DMO. It showed water being poured to put out the fires and debris at the scene.

According to Reuters witnesses, car travel in and out of the port looked to be regular, while civil defense vehicles continued to arrive at around 2100 GMT.

The United Arab Emirates' Dubai serves as the region's commercial, business, and tourism center. The DMO stated that port authorities are taking the required steps to maintain normal ship flow.

"A fire caused by an explosion within a container onboard a ship at Jebel Ali Port has been brought under control; no casualties have been reported," DMO announced on Twitter.

The ship, which was not named, was prepared to dock at a berth "away from the port's main shipping line" according to the report.

According to Al Arabiya, the Dubai authorities stated that the ship's crew was evacuated on time.

When contacted by Reuters, state-owned DP World, which owns Jebel Ali Port, had no immediate reaction.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Jebel Ali port processed 13.5 million cargo containers in 2020, down 4.4 percent year on year.

Publish : 2021-07-08 14:40:00

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