EVs not responsible for car carrier fire

author: FutureCar Staff    

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

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

Contrary to initial reports of 498 EVs on board, another media report suggests that 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, which suffered the most damage. However, he stirred controversy by stating 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 insurance experts will ultimately determine the cause of the fire. The ship is currently being stabilized at a pier in Eemshaven, a facility owned by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence.

Salvage teams and investigators are working together to develop plans and uncover the origins of the fire. Some areas 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, a salvage company, believe that leaked photos were taken by an insurance adjuster or an inspector working for the vessel's owner. These photos reveal the extent of the damage inside the vessel, including warped decks and burnt-out car frames. Some of the cars depicted are recognizable as Mini models, while others are reported to be Porsche 911s and Cayennes.

The photos were also shared on social media by a German politician as part of a campaign to advocate for stricter safety regulations regarding the shipment of electric vehicles. Andreas Mrosek, in his post, speculated about the dangers and highlighted the challenges of evacuating passengers in the event of a fire on a car ferry. He joined others in Germany, including the German media, in calling for stricter regulations on the transportation of EVs.

Executives stated that certain sections of the ship suffered severe damage, resulting in unstable decks. In some areas, the fire was so intense that the car frames fused with the deck. However, on the lower decks, the cars appear to be undamaged. During the interview, Boskalis emphasized that no decision had been made to offload any cars. They expressed concerns that attempting to remove the cars could potentially trigger another fire due to the still-elevated temperatures.

FutureCar Staff