AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A car carrier that caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands is currently being towed to a new location away from shipping routes in a difficult salvage operation, according to the Dutch water board Rijkswaterstaat and media reports.
Rijkswaterstaat stated on Sunday that the ship will be towed to a location 16 km north of the Dutch islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog.
The towing operation commenced on Sunday, but the board did not provide an estimated arrival time at the temporary destination. This is contingent on factors such as weather conditions, smoke development on the carrier, current, and tide.
The fire on the Panamanian-registered Fremantle Highway, carrying new cars and en route from Germany to Egypt, resulted in the death of an Indian crew member and the injury of seven others who jumped overboard to escape the flames. Ship owner Japan’s Shoei Kisen revealed that the entire crew of 21 were of Indian nationality.
An Rijkswaterstaat spokesperson informed the ANP Dutch press agency that the temporary location will ensure the ship is further away from shipping routes and protected from the wind.
This relocation serves as an intermediate step in the challenging salvage operation, the spokesperson added.
On Friday, ship charter company “K” Line disclosed that there were 3,783 vehicles on board, including 498 battery electric vehicles, which is significantly more than the initial report of 25. However, the company refrained from disclosing the specific car brands, including whether any Japanese manufacturers were involved.
Maritime officials and insurers note that EV lithium-ion batteries burn with twice the energy of a normal fire and argue that the industry has not adequately addressed these risks.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by Robert Birsel)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
