A large cargo ship, the Genius Star XI, is currently being kept 2 miles offshore of an Alaska port as a precautionary measure due to a fire in its hold. The U.S. Coast Guard reported on Saturday that there were no injuries to the 19 crew members on board the vessel. The ship, owned by Wisdom Marine Group, was carrying a load of lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to San Diego when the fire broke out on Christmas Day in cargo hold No. 1, according to a spokesperson for the ship owner.

In response to the fire, the crew released carbon dioxide into the hold and sealed it over concerns of a potential explosion. The Coast Guard was alerted about the fire early on Thursday morning and subsequently diverted the 410-foot cargo ship to Dutch Harbor, located in Unalaska, an Aleutian Islands community about 800 miles southwest of Anchorage. The ship arrived at Dutch Harbor on Friday, but an order was issued to prevent it from approaching the shore due to risks associated with burning lithium-ion batteries or toxic gases produced by the fire, as stated by Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Mike Salerno in an email to The Associated Press.

Unalaska's acting city manager, Marjie Veeder, expressed the city's primary concern for the health and safety of the community, environment, fisheries, and commerce. The city's emergency operations center is actively monitoring the situation and advocating for the protection of the community. As a safety measure, the Coast Guard has established a one-mile safety zone around the vessel to ensure the safety of Unalaska residents and surrounding communities.

The owners of the Genius Star XI have reported no oil leaks associated with the incident. Late on Friday, a team of marine firefighting experts conducted an assessment of the ship and found no signs of structural deformation or blistering outside of the cargo hold, according to the Coast Guard. The team remains on board to evaluate the situation further. Additionally, an expert hired by Wisdom Marine Group is diligently working on contingency plans, arranging for a firefighting team, and ensuring the necessary equipment is in place, as stated in a statement by the Taipei, Taiwan-based company.

The Coast Guard will be conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire. The Genius Star XI departed from Vietnam on December 10 and was en route to Dutch Harbor. The ship, sailing under the flag of Panama, has a carrying capacity of over 13,000 tons.