EVs not linked to car carrier fire

author: FutureCar Staff    

Executives from salvage companies have dismissed speculation that an electric vehicle (EV) caused the fire on the car carrier Fremantle Highway. The Panama flagged car and truck carrier, chartered by K Line, was traveling from Bremerhaven in Germany to Singapore when the fire broke out on July 25th.

According to maritime-executive.com, salvage specialists have raised doubts about the theory that the fire originated from one of the electric cars. They pointed out that a significant number of EVs were undamaged on the lower decks and that the speed at which the fire was extinguished was inconsistent with EV battery fires.

Another report stated that there were 498 EVs on board, but between 900 and 1,000 cars, including the EVs, appeared to be in good condition.

A salvage executive told Bloomberg that the fire likely started on the eighth deck of the ship, where the most severe damage was observed. However, he added that "all experts with any knowledge on this topic agree that the transportation of electric vehicles introduces additional risks."

The salvagers did not provide further details but mentioned that insurance experts would determine the cause of the fire. The ship is currently being stabilized at a pier in Eemshaven, a Netherlands Ministry of Defence facility.

Salvage teams and investigators are working on plans to identify the origins of the fire. Some parts of the ship, such as the engine room, remain in good condition, and a new crew has been flown in from Japan to operate the systems.

Executives from Boskalis informed the media that leaked photos, possibly taken by an insurance adjuster or inspector, showed the extent of the damage inside the vessel, including warped decks and burnt-out car frames. Some of the cars shown in the photos were identified as Porsche 911s and Cayennes, as well as five-door Mini Clubmans.

The photos were also shared on social media by a German politician as part of a campaign to advocate for stricter safety regulations for the shipment of electric vehicles. Andreas Mrosek, in his post, speculated on the dangers and highlighted the challenges of evacuating passengers in the event of a fire on a car ferry. This call for stricter regulations on the shipment of EVs has been echoed by others in Germany and the German media.

Executives stated that certain sections of the ship suffered severe damage, causing the decks to become unstable. In some areas, the fire was so intense that the car frames fused to the deck.

However, on the lower decks, the cars appear to be undamaged. Boskalis emphasized during the interview that no decision had been made to offload any cars. They expressed concerns that attempting to remove any of the cars could potentially ignite another fire, according to maritime-executive.com.

FutureCar Staff