Image Credit: Marine nationale / BMPM / MOREAU

Yet another marina fire has caught our attention. This time, it occurred in the port of Lave in Marseille, destroying three yachts (17 metres, 23 metres and 28 metres). Thankfully, no casualties were reported. But the situation does, once again, point to the broader issues surrounding fire prevention and safety across the market.

The blaze, which broke out on Thursday evening, 9 January in the Riaux district, required a massive emergency response involving 63 firefighters, 19 vehicles, three firefighting boats and aerial reconnaissance drones.

The fire reportedly started on one yacht and quickly spread to two others moored nearby. Mooring lines broke, causing two of the vessels to drift, complicating the firefighting efforts. The harbour master’s office, pilots and firefighters coordinated their intervention to secure the boats and prevent further damage.

The operation lasted nearly six hours, with floating barriers deployed to limit hydrocarbon leaks and contain oil pollution in the port.

As with previous incidents, the cause of the fire remains unknown. However, persistent speculation suggests that poorly sourced lithium-ion batteries, often used in toys and tenders, could be a major factor in the spate of marina fires in recent years.

Pinpointing a root cause remains challenging without conclusive evidence, but the recurrence of these incidents poignantly highlights the urgent need for a deeper understanding of the risks.

If our market is to improve its safety and operational standards, it must focus on uncovering and addressing the root causes of these fires. Learning from incidents like this, sharing data, and implementing preventative measures will be crucial to safeguarding both vessels and their surrounding environments.

While the investigation into the Marseille fire has been launched, until the industry tackles the challenges surrounding lithium-ion batteries and fire risk head-on, questions will linger over the adequacy of current safety practices. And this will have a domino effect on other aspects of the market.

#intervention
Feu de navire dans un port de plaisance à Corbières hier à 17h30 🔥
Les MP ont mis en oeuvre des moyens spécialisés #dépollution et de l'appui #robotisé pour venir à bout de l'incendie qui touchait 3 yachts de 20m en préservant le port et l'environnement🛥
📹MN/BMPM pic.twitter.com/TjeEW4fIez

— Marins-pompiers de Marseille (@MarinsPompiers) January 10, 2025

The yacht insurance market is relatively small, and while a major loss may not immediately affect yacht insurance as a whole, there’s likely to be a ripple effect. In light of the rise in fires at shipyards last year alone, construction premiums are expected to rise, potentially leading to a contraction in the market.

For big multinational firms, insuring yachts, whether in construction or on the water, may become less appealing, particularly given the heightened focus on the industry due to high-profile disasters.

In the broader context, some insurers may conclude that it’s not worth the risk, pushing up premiums and limiting the type of coverage available. Reputational risk is also a significant factor; large marine insurers might begin to view yachts as less attractive.

The human element plays a critical role in shaping insurance policies in the yachting industry, often more so than the fires themselves. Rightfully or wrongfully, there is a belief among many in the industry that there’s a shortage of highly skilled crewmembers and this issue extends beyond captains to the entire crew.

While there are certainly many high-quality yachts, the real problems arise when less competent or underqualified crews are involved. With a rise in incidents, both on board and in marinas and shipyards, these issues are becoming increasingly noticeable, and there is an urgent need to change.

The growing list of incidents simply highlights the broader issue within the industry: the need for stricter enforcement of safety protocols and more comprehensive training. Relying on outdated regulations is not enough; the industry must take an active role in preventing similar tragedies through constant vigilance and adaptation to modern safety standards.

The key question remains: how can we prevent these incidents in the future? 

You can read an in-depth article on this topic by News Editor Conor Feasey – ‘We didn't start the fire ... but are we fanning the flames?’ in issue 222 of The Superyacht Report – Owners Focus. All issues are currently available to read for free as part of our Open-Source strategy, designed to make our Reports accessible to everyone in an interactive digital format. 

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