A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that training, coordination, and emergency planning deficiencies in responding to vessel fires in U.S. ports persist. This report comes three years after the deaths of two firefighters while battling a fire on a cargo ship in the Port of Newark.
Marine Fire Statistics
The GAO report reveals that between 2015 and 2025, 886 nearshore fires were reported to the U.S. Coast Guard. Of these, 206 incidents — nearly a quarter — resulted in fatalities, injuries, damages exceeding $200,000, or total loss of the vessel.
Challenges in Responding to Vessel Fires
Responsibility for vessel fires is typically divided among several agencies. The Coast Guard usually oversees federal response coordination, while local fire departments handle firefighting operations. This structure can leave local firefighters facing unfamiliar vessels, confined spaces, and hazardous cargo without adequate experience.
The recent fire on the Grande Costa D’Avorio that occurred in July 2023 at the Port of Newark highlighted these issues. Firefighters became confused in the smoke and unfamiliar design of the vessel, and unfortunately, firefighters Augusto Acabo and Wayne Brooks Jr. lost their lives in the incident.
Coast Guard investigations following the incident revealed that there was insufficient training for firefighters. The last training exercise held for firefighters was nine years prior to this incident, and only one of the firefighters present at the incident had participated in that training.
GAO also pointed out deficiencies related to the activation timing of vessel response plans. In the Grande Costa D’Avorio incident, the vessel response plan was activated about eight hours after the fire started. Coast Guard investigations concluded that earlier activation could have helped limit the spread of the fire and reduce damages.
Ultimately, GAO recommended that Congress should make changes to federal laws to require non-tank vessels using alternative fuels to develop response plans for hazardous materials incidents.
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