Ship carrying nearly 3800 vehicles including BMWs and Mercedes still ablaze off coast for second day
The Dutch coast guard, in charge of managing the situation, has reported that a cargo ship carrying nearly 3,800 cars and construction vehicles is expected to keep burning for several more days. The vessel, named Fremantle Highway, caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands during the early hours of Wednesday. Tragically, one crew member lost their life, and several others sustained injuries, being airlifted or taken by lifeboats for medical assistance.
Among the cargo, there are several hundred cars belonging to BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Efforts to contain the blaze and manage the incident are ongoing. As of 12:30 p.m.
Amsterdam time on Thursday, the fire on the cargo ship was still burning, but the situation was considered stable, according to a spokesperson from the coast guard. Towing or salvage operations cannot be initiated until the fire is fully extinguished, as stated by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. However, extinguishing the fire poses potential stability issues due to the risk of excess water in the ship.
For now, it is not safe for personnel to board the vessel. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time. Based on ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, the Panama-flagged Fremantle Highway was on its way to Port Said, Egypt, following a recent stop at the German port of Bremerhaven.
Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd., the Japanese company that owns the vessel, stated that the final destination for the carrier was Singapore. According to information received by the Dutch coast guard, out of the 3,783 vehicles and machines on board, twenty-five were electric vehicles. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., the ship's charter and operator, confirmed this data.
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