Salvors are working out how to remove electric and internal combustion engine vehicles from the stricken Fremantle Highway car carrier, which caught fire on 25 July 27km off the coast of the Netherlands en route from Germany to Singapore.
Martijn Schuttevaer, director of communications for salvage company Boskalis, told BEST the insurers will have a role in determining the cause of the fire. He stressed his company does not comment on, have an interest or role in, ascertaining the cause of the incident. “Insurance companies will have an important role in determining the extent of the damage,” he said.
The salvage teams, consisting of Boskalis-owned Smit Salvage and Multraship Salvage, started bringing the 59,525 gross tonnage ship into the port of Eemshaven on 3 August.
The ship’s charterer, K Line, confirmed in a statement that 3,784 cars were on board. It said the vessel owner, Luster Maritime, will investigate the extent of damage and cause of the accident in co-operation with the authorities.
The crew of 21 Indians, a pilot and superintendent were all evacuated. One crewman died.
Schuttevaer said their own inspection showed the lower four decks contained vehicles that have not suffered fire damage. “Does that mean we can drive them off? No. They look intact, but how good they are – the car manufacturers will have to determine the true state of the cars.”
The Dutch coastguard and Schuttevaer are at pains to point out no cause has been determined yet.
This has not stopped speculation as to whether it was or was not an EV battery at fault.
An investigator said it does not mean that because EVs were parked together and did not burn that an electric battery was not at fault. A single EV could have been parked elsewhere and a fault develop there.
Schuttevaer’s colleague Petra Groeneveld said despite reports that there were 500 EVs on board, the total number of EVs and plug-in hybrids on the ship is not known, nor the exact split over the various decks.
The salvors have been emptying the ship of its fuel and ensuring it does not list. Schuttevaer said: “As we speak, inspections continue by the insurers and the car manufacturers to establish the state of the ship and the cargo, especially the vessel. They will determine which part of the cargo will be removed and how it will be removed.” This may involve driving or lifting off, he said.
Photo: Fremantle Highway arrives in Eemshaven. Dutch Coast Guard
