Image courtesy: zj.people.cn

The 958-foot Safmarine Meru collided with the 1,043-foot Northern Jasper. Image courtesy: zj.people.cn

Two European-owned container ships collided off the coast of China late Saturday with one catching fire, but the crews of both vessels are safe, one of the operators involved said Sunday.

Maersk Line, said the 292-meter (958-foot) Safmarine Meru, which it owns, collided with the 318-meter (1,043-foot) Northern Jasper operated by Germany’s Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt GmbH & Co.

“The collision caused severe damage to the Safmarine Meru and a fire broke out. The Safmarine Meru’s crew of 22 people abandoned the vessel shortly after,” Maersk Line said in a statement. It said there was no indication that any oil had been spilled as a result of the collision.

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