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.

Representatives for the companies have confirmed that the cargo ship contains several hundred BMW and Mini cars and approximately 300 Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

On the other hand, company spokespeople from Ford Motor Co., Stellantis NV, Renault SA, and Nissan Motor Co. have stated that they did not have any vehicles on the vessel. Toyota Motor Corp. mentioned that it is unlikely for the automaker to have any cargo on board.

Volkswagen AG's spokesperson stated that the company is currently conducting an active investigation but could not disclose additional details at this time. On the other hand, Tesla Inc. did not respond to a request for comment.

Regarding the potential fuel leak from the ship, the coast guard spokesperson could not confirm its occurrence, but precautionary measures were taken by the authorities to prevent any such incident.

The cargo ship was navigating in proximity to the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats globally. These environments are extremely delicate and could face significant damage in the event of an oil spill.

According to Dutch Infrastructure Minister Mark Harbers, in the event of a fuel leak from the cargo ship, the fuel would spread northward and not towards the Wadden Islands, considering the current and expected wind and wave direction in the upcoming days. To be prepared for such a situation, an oil-recovery vessel is present at the site, ready to take swift action if needed.

This incident bears similarities to a maritime disaster that occurred last year, where a cargo ship carrying approximately 4,000 Volkswagen vehicles to the US caught fire in the Atlantic. Despite efforts to tow the vessel to safety, it ultimately sank in rough seas after burning for over a week.

According to Bloomberg, the Fremantle Highway, which is 10 years old and approximately 200 meters (656 feet) long, has a maximum capacity to carry up to 4,000 cars.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)