Casino ship, the Nobe Corinthian, was damaged after one of its engines overheated and caused a fire in the upper lounge area of the vessel yesterday.

Around 9.30 a.m. the ship was en route from St. George's to Dockyard for refuelling when the starboard engine began to heat as the vessel approached Grassy Bay, a Government spokesperson said.

However, the crew managed to contain and extinguish the fire using onboard equipment before fire personnel arrived. Two Marine and Ports tug boats were standing by to tow the vessel into the commercial berth in the south basin in Dockyard.

It is understood the ship was due to sail out on its maiden voyage yesterday afternoon, but those plans were temporarily hampered. The ship is expected to be cleaned up over a short period of time, before resuming a normal schedule.

Lawyer Llewellyn Peniston, a vocal opponent of the Island's anti-gambling laws and who acts for the owners of the vessel, downplayed the extent of the damage, which had been first reported to be "extensive".

"Minor smoke damage," he said.

"A build-up in one of the mast or funnels is what triggered a bit of smoke damage in the upper lounge area. It is not extensively damaged at all," Mr. Peniston added.

"It was the acceleration of the engines which had been idle for sometime that caused the smoke damage."

Asked to confirm if the vessel was to set sail for the first time yesterday, he said: "From a practical standpoint, it is pointless to consider at this juncture, the prospect of going out today or tonight.

"Whatever smoke damage occurred, as minor as it was, will necessarily have to be cleaned up."

The Niobe Corinthian has long been at the centre of controversy. She first came to the Island in 2005 and was raided by Customs officials while she was moored at Marginal Wharf, in St. David's. A total of 100 slot machines were seized by Police, and remain in the custody of the Crown. The vessel's captain, Fermin Alfonso Reyes, and managing director, George Kezas, were convicted of illegally importing the machines. Reyes was fined $15,000 with Kezas to be sentenced later.

Since then, the owners of the ship have intended to operate it as a casino in international waters, 12 miles offshore, sailing from Bermuda. At the time of yesterday's incident, there were 14 crew members on board as well as a pilot from the Department of Maritime Administration. Spokesperson Lt. Dana Lovell of the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that at 9.33 a.m., 8 fire units from the Port Royal station in Southampton and the Hamilton station had been dispatched.

"Our fire service personnel, along with the Marine Police, boarded the ship and confirmed the fire had been put out, by the crew, successfully," Lt. Lovell said.

Additionally, the Service believes there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the cause of the blaze. "It is definitely not a suspicious fire," he added. It was unknown last night as to how much money the damage to the ship was worth. No injuries were reported.