Operations at Shannon Foynes Port in County Limerick, Ireland, were suspended on the evening of Tuesday, June 24, following reports of an explosion aboard a docked chemical tanker. Port authorities later confirmed that two crew members were seriously injured in the incident.

The explosion occurred on the Bow Hercules, a 40,847 DWT chemical tanker operated by Norwegian company Odfjell. The vessel had arrived earlier that day from Purfleet, near Tilbury, UK. The blast reportedly occurred around 6:30 p.m. local time, prompting a major emergency response.

Multiple ambulances responded to the scene, and an air ambulance was dispatched to transport the most severely injured crew member, while the other was taken by road. Both injured individuals are reported to be Filipino nationals.

The Bow Hercules, built in 2017 and measuring 183 meters (600 feet) in length, was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the explosion. Media reports suggest the blast was likely caused by a cylinder explosion near the ship’s lifeboat station, where the two crew members were working nearby.

Shannon Foynes, Ireland’s largest bulk and breakbulk port, has since resumed operations after the situation was stabilized. The Bow Hercules remains at the port for safety checks and an investigation into the cause of the explosion.