Thick smoke billowed from a cargo ship anchored at Plymouth after a digger on board burst into flames.
Fire crews, the fire-fighting boat Vigiles, coastguards, police and the RNLI lifeboat all rushed to assist the Lady Nola when the fire broke out yesterday at Cattedown Wharf.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the fire had broken out in the engine compartment of a mechanical digger that had been working in the hold of the ship.
A spokesman said the flames had not reached the cargo of wood chippings.
The blaze broke out aboard the giant 80-metre-long vessel, shortly after 4pm.
Several crew members appeared to be on board as smoke rose from the vessel.
Coastguards at Brixham, who co-ordinated the emergency response, said nobody had been injured in the incident.
A spokesman said the digger, which had been compacting the wood chip, would be taken off the ship by crane.
The Netherlands-registered ship was built in 2002 and has carried general cargo on the waters since then.
She arrived in Plymouth shortly after 9am following a four-day voyage from Brunsbuettel in Germany.