In what feels like a reboot from the Felicity Ace saga in the Atlantic Ocean in 2022, another Car Transport Ship has caught alight off the coast of the Netherlands carrying almost 3 000 cars with the suspected cause being an EV.
On Tuesday, a fire broke out on the cargo ship Fremantle Highway off the coast of the Netherlands around midnight. The vessel was transporting nearly 3 000 cars from Germany to Egypt, and the fire allegedly originated near an unspecified electric vehicle on board.
Related: Felicity Ace sinks after devastating fire set the specialised vessel adrift
After the failed attempt to quash the blaze, the crew cut their losses and attempted a harrowing escape. Seven crew members had to jump overboard to flee the rapidly spreading fire but sadly, one crew member lost their life in the blaze. The remaining 23 crew members were successfully rescued from the scene, although several suffered injuries, including burns, broken bones, and breathing difficulties.
According to the Dutch Coast Guard, the fire’s cause is yet to be confirmed, and it is listed as “unknown” on their website. The ship was carrying a total of 2 857 cars, with 25 of them being electric vehicles. Mercedes-Benz stated that they had approximately 350 cars on board.
Related: Bentley swiftly salvages Felicity Ace disaster and delivers final vehicle
As of the latest update, the fire is still raging, and the situation on board remains unchanged. The Dutch Coast Guard’s rescue ship, Hunter, is keeping the Fremantle Highway in place and away from shipping lanes while authorities develop a plan to extinguish the fire without sinking the endangered vessel. In the meantime, rescue ships are spraying water on the ship’s exterior to keep it cool.
Edwin Versteeg, spokesperson for the Dutch Department of Waterways and Public Works, commented that the fire is proving difficult to extinguish, possibly due to the cargo being transported.
Het schip staat nog in brand. Het bergingsvaartuig Hunter heeft een noodverbinding met het schip en houdt het schip zo gecontroleerd op een positie. Meerdere partijen werken aan een plan van aanpak om de schade zoveel mogelijk te beperken. pic.twitter.com/EYFTJJaHVo
— Kustwacht Nederland (@Kustwacht_nl) July 26, 2023
In 2022, a similar incident occurred with the Felicity Ace, after the Car Transport Ship caught ablaze in the open Atlantic and eventually sunk to its depths, with its estimated $401 million worth of vehicles. Fortunately, no casualties were reported on that occasion however the misfortune claimed a fair share of Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini models.
The situation has forced Lamborghini to restart Aventador production to replace the destroyed supercars. In the days to come, more information about the Fremantle Highway’s cargo and the cause of the fire is expected to emerge as authorities work diligently to prevent the ship from sinking.
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