Netherlands tows burnt-out car freighter to port
Published August 3, 2023last updated August 3, 2023
Dutch authorities towed the car-carrying freighter that caught fire in the North Sea to a nearby port on Thursday for salvage.
The 200-meter (around 650-foot) Fremantle Highway vessel — which was carrying 3,894 cars, including 498 EVs — was taken to the Dutch port of Eemshaven.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said the port was the most suitable due to its proximity to the freighter.
"By keeping the towage journey as short as possible, the risks are limited," the ministry said.
The vessel was first moved to a safer location in the North Sea on Monday.
How was the ship towed?
The operation to bring the vessel to the port began early on Thursday. Salvage specialists and oil response vessels were also deployed.
"I can confirm the ship has arrived in Eemshaven," a spokesperson for the regional safety authority told the AFP news agency on Thursday afternoon.
A fire first broke out on the ship — which is owned by a Japanese shipping company — on July 26, shortly after it set sail from the German port of Bremerhaven on its way to Singapore.
The battery of an electric car is believed to be responsible for the blaze. One crew member died during the evacuation of the freighter.
The Dutch ministry said that following a full inspection it had determined that "there are no indications that the fire is still burning."
EV battery risks
The blaze on the freighter sparked serious concerns over the risk of pollution in the North Sea. The German Environmental Ministry said that the ship was carrying 1,600 tons of heavy fuel oil and another 200 tons of marine diesel oil.
This is what authorities want to prevent by cautiously towing it to port.
But this operation was hampered as the fire continued to burn for several days, in part due to the lithium-ion batteries in the EVs, which are particularly difficult to extinguish once they catch fire.
Experts have warned that ships are not usually equipped with the necessary equipment to deal with the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries even as they become ever more common cargo on the world's waterways.
zc, ab/sms (dpa, AP)