MV W Sapphire Explosion – Fire

On Monday, August 18, 2025, an explosion blew a hatch of the 751-foot MV W Sapphire in Baltimore Harbor.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., Sector Maryland – National Capital Region watchstanders received a call over VHF channel 16 from the W-Sapphire stating an explosion had occurred aboard the vessel.

Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast notice to mariners and dispatched responders to the scene to assist while coordinating the response with local port partners.

Responding to the incident were crews from Coast Guard Sector Maryland – National Capital Region, Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay response boat crews, a Coast Guard Station Annapolis response boat crew, as well as local partners including Baltimore Fire Department, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and others.

The fire on board the vessel was extinguished and no injuries were reported. An investigation into the cause of the explosion was initiated.

In the aftermath of the explosion, the Coast Guard established a 2,000-yard safety zone around the incident location. The closure was due to debris from an explosion on the M/V W-Sapphire.

On August 19, the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the Fort McHenry Federal Channel into and out of the Port of Baltimore. 

The W Sapphire was outbound from Baltimore Harbor with 23 crewmembers and 2 pilots aboard and was south of Fort Carroll at the time of the explosion. The vessel was transporting coal when the explosion occurred. MV W SAPPHIRE (IMO: 9605645) is a 751-foot bulk carrier sailing under the flag of Liberia.

The incident and fire was one of several major mishaps that have occurred in Baltimore Harbor. In June 2025, a diesel fuel spill in the Inner Harbor disrupted local traffic and activities along the waterfront.

On March 26, 2024, the Singapore-flagged container ship DALI collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River, effectively blocking major vessel traffic into and out of Baltimore Harbor.

In March 2022, the container ship EVER FORWARD ran aground near Gibson Island south of Baltimore Maryland.

sources: U.S. Coast Guard, Baltimore Fire Department, Maryland Port Administration