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| Photo:www.marinelink.com |
AMSTERDAM - A dramatic salvage
operation is underway off the Dutch coast after a car carrier caught fire while
en route from Germany to Egypt on July 26. As part of the operation, the
blazing Panamanian-registered vessel named Fremantle Highway, loaded with new
cars, has been towed to a new location away from shipping lanes. The Dutch
public works and water management ministry, along with local media, reported on
the relocation on Monday.
The vessel, owned by Japan's
Shoei Kisen, tragically witnessed the death of one Indian crew member, with
seven others being injured after they had to leap overboard to escape the
rapidly spreading flames. The entire crew of 21 on board was Indian.
The Rijkswaterstaat ministry
stated that the ship is now positioned north of the Dutch islands Ameland and
Schiermonnikoog, in a location that will minimize interference with shipping
routes and offer better protection from the winds. However, officials
emphasized that this relocation marks only an intermediate step in the challenging
salvage operation.
Ship charter company
"K" Line provided updated information regarding the cargo, revealing
that the vessel carried a total of 3,783 vehicles. Surprisingly, among them
were 498 battery electric vehicles (EVs), a significant increase from the
initial report of 25 EVs. The company did not disclose specific car brands,
leaving uncertain whether Japanese manufacturers were among them.
The incident has also raised
concerns about the safety of EV lithium-ion batteries in such maritime emergencies.
These batteries can burn with twice the energy of a standard fire, posing risks
that the industry has yet to fully address, according to maritime officials and
insurers.
As the salvage operation
continues, authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the
safety of the crew, minimize environmental impact, and facilitate the removal
of the car carrier from its precarious situation off the Dutch coast.
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