Captain Avhilash Rawat and the crew of the oil tanker Marlin Luanda received the 2024 Exceptional Bravery at Sea Award from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for their extraordinary courage, determination and endurance demonstrated while coordinating firefighting and damage control efforts to combat the fire that broke out after an anti-ship ballistic missile struck their vessel on January 26, 2024. He will be presented with his medal at the 2024 IMO Awards Ceremony, to be held in London on December 2.

Marlin Luanda, carrying 84,147 tons of Naphtha, was going from Suez to Incheon, when in the Red Sea, it was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile, reportedly fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The explosion ignited a cargo tank, creating a significant fire hazard with flames exceeding five meters.

In an interview with Maritime Fairtrade, Captain Rawat talked about his courageous act on that fateful day.

How did you feel when you found out you will receive the award?

Honestly speaking, I never thought that this incident, which my crew and I underwent, would account for any kind of bravery because what we did that day was our duty. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the IMO committee for considering our act as one of bravery. It gives immense pride and honor to my crew and I, which keeps us motivated in life.

What makes this incident more dangerous than other types of crises?

In simpler words, it was like a ticking bomb where you do not know what can happen the very next moment. Fire onboard is always a nightmare for any seafarer, and this risk is heightened when you are on a tanker. The presence of flammable cargo increases the potential dangers, making fire safety and preparedness even more critical in such environments. 

Fire on board my vessel at sea was one of the devastating fires in the history of maritime because the vessel was fully loaded with highly volatile and flammable cargo of Naphtha. This type of cargo could have led to serious threats to human life, marine environment and a complete demolition of the vessel.

What was your mental state while fighting fire for four and a half hours before help arrived?

The first four hours before we received external help were critical and terrifying. Everyone onboard was deeply alarmed, but none of us showed any signs of panic. Instead, each person remained focused and placed their trust in my actions and decisions.

Despite persistent efforts, the fire continued to spread, particularly affecting an adjacent tank. However, the crew managed to contain it using seawater after foam supplies were exhausted.

How did you come up with this impromptu plan to use seawater? 

Onboard my vessel, we had basically the following types of fire-fighting mediums: seawater, inert gas system and fire-fighting foam system. Once the fire began raging onboard, we immediately started using all these three mediums together to extinguish the fire. 

Foam is always considered a better medium to fight an oil fire rather than seawater. However, once our foam system was exhausted, we were left with no other choice. Rather than continue using an option that was not proving its effectiveness, we instantly moved on to the third option – seawater. At least this will prevent it from spreading to other compartments. Basically, we tried to use each and every option we had onboard to fight this fire. 

As a master, it is always my utmost duty to prioritize the safety of my crew, every single decision I make as a master has to be very precise and efficacious. With limited resources onboard, as a master, I have to always think out of the box and make the best use of what we have. This is fundamental in dealing with any emergency without losing essential time. 

Safety of my crew weighs on my mind and lies in my hands; as a master I cannot have any room for error which can compromise the safety of my crew.  

Reflecting on this ordeal, what are your thoughts?

I would say that my crew and I had given our very best to overcome that horrifying situation we all faced that day. We dealt with utmost dedication and courage and managed the circumstances effectively. Despite the severity of the situation, we remained focused on finding solutions and ensuring that all necessary actions were taken well in time. 

I think the main reason why IMO chose my crew and I for this bravery award is that we all had an option that day to abandon the ship to ensure our own safety. Instead, we responded like true seafarers and pressed on in fighting this outrageous fire which evaded a catastrophic situation. There is no imagination for the other scenario where serious threats to human lives, the marine environment and the total loss for the vessel were just at our doorstep.

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization