By Yang Won-mo, The Public — Analysts say an external impact may have sparked the fire aboard HMM’s cargo ship NAMU near the Strait of Hormuz. Crew members told investigators they heard a loud bang during the incident, but Seoul says it cannot conclude the ship was attacked by Iran because investigators have found no clear punctures or strike marks on the hull.
On May 4 at about 8:40 p.m., a fire broke out on the port side of the NAMU’s engine room while the vessel was idling offshore near Umm al-Quwain, United Arab Emirates. Crew reported an explosion-like noise, and nearby South Korean vessels radioed via VHF that they saw smoke to the NAMU’s port side. The ship’s firefighting systems extinguished the blaze after roughly four hours; there were no injuries.
Shipping-industry sources say the incident is difficult to characterize as a simple onboard fire. The NAMU was not underway and no hot work, such as welding, was being conducted. The vessel is a newbuild launched last year and was sailing without hazardous cargo, factors that reduce the likelihood of an internal defect.
Still, the government is proceeding cautiously. Industry sources say inspectors have so far found no visible holes or major exterior damage on the engine-room’s port side. A direct hit from a missile or mine would likely have produced a breach, but authorities say they have not observed signs consistent with that scenario.
Officials have not ruled out an external shock entirely. Some experts suggest a pressure wave outside the hull could have damaged internal piping or electrical systems. There are also unconfirmed reports that a nearby Chinese vessel experienced a similar impact.
Diplomatic reactions have been mixed. When Seoul queried Iran and Gulf states near the Strait of Hormuz about the cause, Iran’s foreign ministry reportedly said it had no knowledge. By contrast, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 (local time) that a Korean vessel had been attacked and blamed Iran.
Seoul plans to move the NAMU to Dubai Port to begin a full investigation. Personnel from the Korean Register’s Dubai office, investigators from the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal, and forensic experts from South Korea’s National Fire Agency will be deployed. Officials say they will determine whether Iran attacked the ship only after a comprehensive examination for hull breaches, blast signatures and the fire’s point of origin.
