Attempts are under way to suffocate the fires still burning on the Korean fishing vessel in the Port of Timaru.

Towing a burning Korean fishing boat out to sea from the Port of Timaru has been deemed too dangerous.

The 70-metre Dong Won 701 caught fire while docked at the port on Monday night and authorities have been struggling to extinguish the fires since.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) South Canterbury area manager Steven Greenyer revealed on Friday that one option considered was towing it out to sea, but this has been deemed too dangerous.

1 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the fishing vessel Dong Won 701 that is on fire in the Port of Timaru. 2 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the fishing vessel Dong Won 701 that is on fire in the Port of Timaru. 3 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF 13042018 News JOHN BISSET/STUFF. Ship fire The fishing vessel Dong Won 701 is still smoking as firefighters continue efforts to extinguish the fire. 4 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the fishing vessel Dong Won 701 that is on fire in the Port of Timaru. 5 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Firefighters on board the Dong Won 701 that caught fire while docked in the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018. 6 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Firefighters prepared to board the Dong Won 701, a Korean fishing boat that caught fire in the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2108. 7 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the fishing vessel Dong Won 701 that is on fire in the Port of Timaru. 8 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Steam and smoke can be seen rising from the Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 9 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 10 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 11 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 12 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 13 of 20 DOUG FIELD/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 11, 2018. 14 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 10, 2018. 15 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF Water is sprayed on the burning fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at the Port of Timaru on April 10, 2018. 16 of 20 AURORA BOURASSA/SUPPLIED The Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 on fire at the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018. 17 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF The Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 on fire at the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018. 18 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF The Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 on fire at the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018. 19 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF The Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 on fire at the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018. 20 of 20 JOHN BISSET/STUFF The Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 on fire at the Port of Timaru on April 9, 2018.

"We had permission to tow the ship out to sea, but when you've got a major fire on the front part of the ship, you can't tow it forward... towing it from the stern would have meant turning the ship around into the wind meaning the fire would have come back into the rest of the ship and also placed the tugs in danger," Greenyer said.

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"The other issue was if we towed it out and it sinks in the channel then that closes the port, so that was really a last option.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF A close up of fire damage to the Korean fishing boat, Dong Won 701, in the Port of Timaru.

"If the ship had to sink then it's better that it sinks alongside here (the wharf), rather than out in the channel."

PrimePort chief executive Phil Melhopt said port operations were largely back to normal. There were no more delays to ships arriving in port, he said.

"We're mostly out of the woods, but there is still a lot of work going on to smother the two fires," Melhopt said.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF The fishing vessel Dong Won 701 is still smoking as firefighters continue efforts to extinguish the fire.

Greenyer said the fires had been contained but there were two still burning in the ship and attempts to suffocate them began on Friday.

"One is still burning in the cargo hold, while another is in the front the boat."

Greenyer said things like the port holes and doors were being sealed up to help starve the fires of oxygen.

DOUG FIELD Korean fishing vessel Dong Won 701 at Timaru Port

"We're still finishing work to try and smother the fire.

"We're also using a sealing agent (high expansion foam) to seal up doors and any holes so we can starve the fires of air, and then they're more likely to go out.

"The accommodation area of the ship and half of the internal area is burnt-out or badly damaged. The rear part of the ship is still intact."

JOHN BISSET/STUFF At least five fire crews battle a blaze on a fishing vessel at the Port of Timaru on Monday night.

A tug boat carrying firefighters is also still being used to cool the sides of the ship.

"We anticipate that this will take some time to fully extinguish."​

Greenyer said about 20 fire crew members were still attending the blaze, with some coming from as far south as Dunedin.

MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF The fishing vessel Dong Won 701 photographed at 11.20am on Thursday at the Timaru Port. It is still smoking as the fire onboard remains to be extinguished.

As the battle to extinguish the fires continued, Environment Canterbury (ECan) has declared a Tier 2 response, under the Maritime Transport Act 1994, which allows it to manage the potential risk of oil or other contaminants getting into the harbour water.

"We have trained responders closely monitoring the situation and will mobilise them should the need arise," said ECan's on-scene commander for marine oil spills, Richard Purdon.

"In addition specialised containment and collection equipment is in place and ready for use if needed.

MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF More than 20 fire crew and a host of Timaru Port and Environment Canterbury are attending the ship's fire.

"For now it's a monitoring operation. No oil has escaped from the fishing boat."

Fenz is continuing to douse the fire from the outside to reduce the risk the boat could move or sink.

"The area close to the boat is considered too dangerous for our responders to work in. As soon it is safe to do so, we will deploy a boom around the vessel to contain any potential spill, reducing the risk of environmental harm," Purdon said.

The Dong Won 701 is owned by Dong Won Fisheries and the company's chief executive, Tae Wang, said on Wednesday it was continuing to work with the port and safety authorities while also attending to the welfare of the ship's crew.
The fire aboard Korean ship FV Dong Won 701 in the Port of Timaru, New Zealand, enters its fifth day. Fire and Emergency New Zealand rejects a proposal to tow the vessel out to sea as too dangerous. Firefighters commence efforts to seal the ship to suffocate ongoing fires.