Flashback in maritime history: Explosion, sinking and fatalities on chemical tanker Bow Mariner 28 Feb 2004

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On 28 February 2004, the chemical tanker Bow Mariner caught fire and exploded while the crew was engaged in cleaning residual methyl tert Butyl ether (MTBE) from cargo tank number eight starboard. The "Bow Mariner" was a 570-foot, Singapore-flagged chemical tanker built in 1982, and was managed by a Greek company, Ceres Hellenic Shipping Enterprises Ltd. The tanker was owned by Odfjell USA, headquartered in Houston.