Ship "Fremantle Highway" on fire in the North Sea

[Catfish]

Carrying electric vehicles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u0fmtag4PY

[Skybird]

Some Nordic ferry lines have banned ecars.
I store my bike batteries in vacuumized 7.52 ammo boxes and outside my flat - and away from my stored petroleum and gas cartridges. The risk is low, but real, and higher than with other stuff of this kind.
I also never charge batteries in my absence or over night.

[Dargo]

The fire on the freighter, the Fremantle Highway north of Ameland is still not extinguished. According to the Coast Guard, extinguishing and salvaging it "could take days or even weeks". There are still fires and a lot of smoke, the Coast Guard says. As a result, it is not possible to allow salvagers to board the ship to tow it away.

A fire started on the ship, with 3,000 cars on board, early this night. The fire spread quickly, and the 23-member crew had to be disembarked as soon as possible. One crew member was killed. He died on board KNRM's lifeboat. The remaining 22 crew members were injured. They are being treated for breathing problems, burns and broken bones. None of them are in mortal danger. The entire crew is from India.

A Coast Guard spokesman said earlier today that the fire is believed to have started in one of the 25 electric cars on board. Later in the evening, the Coast Guard said nothing is yet known about the cause. "There is no extinguishing on the ship itself or from the water on top of the ship," said Edwin Granneman of the Coast Guard. "We didn't do that on purpose. The moment you all spray water into the ship, it can affect its stability. The ship could then start tilting." Therefore, water is only sprayed against the side to cool the ship. For the rest, it remains to be seen how the fire develops and how long it will take for it to be safely salvaged.

There is a no-fly zone above the area where the burning ship is, says Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). This is a temporary ban to give emergency services space. According to the coast guard, the no-fly zone has nothing to do with hazardous substances that may be released.

There are now 3 scenarios:

The ship could sink. Every effort is being made to prevent that and, for now, the ship is stable.
Another option is to tow the ship away from its current position between the two fairways above Ameland. "In order to establish a proper towing connection, people would actually have to board the ship. It remains to be seen whether that is possible under the current conditions."
Another option is to let the ship burn out completely and then salvage it. So that could take weeks.

According to the Japanese owner of the ship, the company Shoei Kisen Kaisha, it is likely that the fire originated from electric cars. "But we are not entirely sure of the cause, for that we are waiting for the investigation," a spokesman said. He does not know which car brands were being carried on the ship. Their first objective now is to put out the fire, the spokesman said. "Once that is done, we will try to get permission to get the ship into a port." After that, an investigation into the cause of the fire will start immediately. The Department of Public Works will oversee the salvage, but ultimately that is the responsibility of the shipowner himself. Shoei Kisen Kaisha is also the owner of the Ever Given, the cargo ship that blocked the Suez Canal for six days in 2021.

[Skybird]

I just red a member of some disaster command in charge of the operation said a sinking of the ship now is a likely scenario.

[Dargo]

Timeline of the fire on the Fremantle Highway:

23:45: Vessel Fremantle Highway reports to the Coast Guard that there is a fire on board. The vessel is currently sailing 27 kilometres north of Ameland.
00.30: The skipper of the KNRM rescue ship from Ameland is alerted. "We were all asleep and were paged out of our beds".
03.49: Shipping company Noordgat reports that their ship Hurricane is working with KNRM to rescue the crew of the burning vessel. Tug Hunter is on its way.
04:30: The Coast Guard reports that all 23 crew members have been removed from the burning vessel.
06:51: The Coast Guard reports that those on board have been taken to Lauwersoog and Eelde airport. There they have been taken care of by ambulance personnel. It is also reported that there is one fatality.
09.00: The salvage vessel Hunter of shipping company Noordgat has an emergency connection to the ship, keeping the vessel in a controlled position.
09.49: Rijkswaterstaat is consulting with the Coastguard and salvage companies, among others, on what to do with the ship if it needs to be salvaged.
11.26: The Coast Guard reports that the situation is unchanged. There is still a lot of smoke. Several scenarios are being worked out.
13.10: Rijkswaterstaat reports that the ship's Japanese shipping company has ordered a salvage company to salvage the Fremantle Highway as soon as possible. Rijkswaterstaat has a vessel on site monitoring.
16:10: A temporary no-fly zone is in place over the burning freighter at the request of the Coast Guard. Only emergency agencies are allowed to enter the area.
17:45: It is still unclear when people will be able to board to extinguish the fire. The ship is currently being cooled with seawater, but to really put out the fire, firefighters need to board. This is too dangerous so far.

KNRM=Royal Dutch Rescue Society
Rijkswaterstaat =Department of Waterways and Public Works

I just red a member of some disaster command in charge of the operation said a sinking of the ship now is a likely scenario.That would be a disaster for the waddengebied (tidal flats), I haven't heard anything about it all that the ship is slightly listing.

More environmental danger comes from the fuels and lubricating oil in the engines and tanks of the thousands of fossil cars on board (though it is questionable how much of that remains after possibly days of fire). And from the fuel oil the ship sails on. The Coast Guard reckons the ship will sink, leading to "enormous damage, including to the environment", according to a spokesman. Rijkswaterstaat sent an oil spill response vessel on Wednesday to minimise the impact of any oil spill.

The rules for transporting electric cars at sea should be tightened. That is what the Royal Association of Dutch Shipowners (KVNR) says in response to the fire on the car transporter Fremantle Highway north of Ameland. On board are some three thousand cars, some of which are electrically powered. The ship has been on fire since midnight, possibly due to an electric car. Once such a car catches fire, it is very difficult to put it out. "It's a headache," says KVNR chairman Jan Valkier. "We had a similar accident last year in the middle of the ocean, where a ship completely burned out and sank."

The UN International Maritime Organisation is currently working on tightened regulations for electric cars at sea, but it is not clear when they will come. "Hurry up with those regulations to prevent these kinds of accidents in the future," is Valkier's appeal. The KVNR would like rules on how many electric cars are allowed on board a ship. "And if a fire does occur, what do you do on board a ship? These are all things that need to be examined and tightened up." But why is putting out electric cars so difficult? Briefly, the battery is very well protected from collisions and contact with water, making it difficult to reach it with extinguishing water. Another problem: once a battery has burned out, the fire can re-ignite. Cooling battery cells from the outside is very difficult, says Yvonne Stassen, spokesperson at the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety. "The only way to prevent the battery from reheating is to immerse the battery pack in water for a long time.

The Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIVP) wrote a report on fighting incidents involving electric cars on ships. Among other things, it states that ship personnel and firefighters must be able to act with lightning speed in such fires. "In addition, they must have specialist skills and tools." If that is not there and the fire is already advanced, the only thing left is complete evacuation of the ship. The latter happened at the Fremantle Highway. Of the 23 crew members, 22 were brought to safety; one crew member died. Meanwhile, it is clear that extinguishing the ship could take days or even weeks. "You have to let the electric cars burn out, which can take a long time," says fire safety professor Ruud van Herpen (TU Eindhoven). So sometimes an electric car is put in an immersion tank with water for weeks. So the other option is to let the battery burn out. "You cannot cut off the fire from oxygen, because a fire in a battery can burn out without oxygen," he says.

Therefore, speed is very important when extinguishing an electric car. "With a rapid report, it is still possible to make a deployment to extinguish the fire. Once the incident has spread and escalated, there are virtually no repressive options left on the open sea," says the NIVP. Prevention is therefore important, but also a difficult task, says Van Herpen. "Reducing the risk to 0 percent does not exist. A normal car also starts a fire in a car park because it overheats." There are, however, options to reduce the fire risk in an electric car. For example, by not charging the battery before transport and keeping it empty. Moreover, there are gains to be made when distributing electric cars on a cargo ship, says the fire safety expert. "It is not wise to put all the cars next to each other, as they will ignite each other. Making smaller compartments helps to fight the fire faster and save time to tow a ship to a port."

[mapuc]

Thank you Dargo for provide us with information about this ship fire near the Netherland.

Markus

[Oubaas]

Pollution from fuel oil, petroleum, and any cow farts that may have been onboard.

Clearly we should convert to electric ships no later than 2030 to save the planet, because it's just so gosh darn nice to live in this world.

You should all live on a diet of rabbit food so you can spend an extra ten years here. Just think of the wonders to come. You ain't seen nothin' yet! And you'll miss it all if you eat steak, or anything else that tastes good.

Have a bowl of sliced radishes and some kale instead. And tofu. Don't forget the tofu.

:Kaleun_Smile:

[Jimbuna]

I just red a member of some disaster command in charge of the operation said a sinking of the ship now is a likely scenario.

That would be a serious disaster in such shallow waters.

[Dargo]

Emergency services have switched to metered cooling of the outside of the freighter Fremantle Highway near the Wadden Islands. Earlier, cooling was constant. "Unnecessary water on board must be prevented. This endangers the stability of the ship," writes the Coast Guard. Whether the ship will be cooled is determined on a moment-by-moment basis. "The direction lies with the salvage team," says a Coast Guard spokesperson. "There are salvagers present who determine per moment whether cooling is done. The stability of the ship is decisive." Heat cameras monitor the ship's temperature. "A coastguard aircraft takes thermal images. With that, we take temperature measurements."

According to the German Environment Ministry, there are 1,600 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 200 tonnes of marine diesel on board the ship that ran into trouble yesterday. A spokesman for the Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM) informs that crew members jumped from about 25 to 30 metres into the water from the ship yesterday. Meanwhile, the fire is raging on and smoke is still coming out of the ship, making it unsafe to board. The ship is now some 16 kilometres north of Terschelling as it drifts westwards due to the wind and currents. The vessel is being kept out of the shipping lanes with the help of a tug, allowing shipping traffic to pass at a safe distance. The vehicle is no longer completely level in the water, according to Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Waterways and Public Works).

Japanese shipping company K Line told German news agency DPA this morning that the burning cargo ship had about a thousand more cars on board than previously reported. It is 3783 cars instead of 2857 cars, according to the shipping company. However, the Coast Guard is still assuming 2857 cars. "That is the information we have received," he said. If it does turn out to be 3783, it won't make a big difference to the operation, according to the Coast Guard. "It's a complex situation anyway, whether it's about 2,800 or 3,800 cars." It may still take days to extinguish the fire, a Coast Guard spokesman said this morning on NOS Radio 1 News. To gather information, the Coast Guard is taking images from a plane. In addition, a salvage team is monitoring the situation from the tug. If fuel starts leaking from the ship, it will spread northwards and not towards the Wadden Islands, outgoing minister Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) wrote in a letter to the Lower House this morning. This is due to "the current wind and wave direction foreseen for the coming days". Rijkswaterstaat is in the area with an oil spill response vessel to intervene immediately as soon as it does.

The big fear is that the ship will capsize and sink. That could mean some of the cargo moving towards the Wadden Islands. "It is a world heritage site and that could be damaged if very strange, toxic products were to end up there," Ameland mayor Stoel said yesterday. The mayor again stressed the importance of paying attention to the safety of this kind of shipping at the Wadden area. "We have previously expressed concern about the route being sailed," he said. There is a northern and a southern route. Stoel and the other Wadden mayors would prefer to see the southern route disappear. "The further away from the Wadden Islands, the fewer the risks and the more time to intervene if something goes wrong."

[Rockstar]

After catching fire, it took two weeks for the Felicity Ace to sink.

[Skybird]

Media report this morning the ship had loaded not 25 ecars - but 500.

[Jimbuna]

Sources vary but mine are saying approx. 3000 of which 25 are electric.

[Skybird]

That's what they initially thought. But there is the possibility that it are not 3000 but 3800 cars, and 500 of these e-cars.
Two or three German newspapers brought this this morning. They refer to Dutch ANP news agency. ANP got it from the company, KLine, which says three thousand seven hundred something cars.



https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/article246618682/Nordsee-Brennender-Frachter-hatte-rund-500-E-Autos-geladen.html

[Jimbuna]

Whatever the actual figures are, it will all come out in the wash (no pun intended)

[Aktungbby]

...as moderator-in-chief, U should "wash out" what you post.(play-on-words intended):O:

[Aktungbby]

...as moderator-in-chief, U should "wash out" what you post.(play-on-words intended birthday (66th pending!) boy!):O:

[Dargo]

Salvage workers have entered the burning freighter Fremantle Highway to make a fixed tow connection. The Coast Guard reports. The "new, sturdier" towing connection, through the top of the ship, will allow it to be better moved and kept under control. The ship is currently 23 kilometres north of Terschelling. Until now, there was only emergency connection between tugs and the freighter. Measurements by the salvagers show that the temperature on board the freighter has dropped significantly, and the fire is diminishing. The drop in temperature made it safe enough for the salvagers to board. The smoke is also diminishing, salvagers say. The salvagers are not staying on board, but are returning to the salvage vessels. It is not yet clear where the burning freighter will be towed to.

[Jimbuna]

I'd suggest a convenient Russian port somewhere.

[Dargo]

I'd suggest a convenient Russian port somewhere.We can only hope, but it will go to Rotterdam or Wilhelmshaven

[Jimbuna]

Yeah, nearest port with the correct facilities...unfortunately.

[Rockstar]

Sources vary but mine are saying approx. 3000 of which 25 are electric.


According to K Line the operator of the ship said there were 3,783 vehicles on board, all of them new, including the 498 EVs.

https://www.tradewindsnews.com/casualties/k-line-reveals-close-to-500-electric-vehicles-on-fire-ravaged-car-carrier-fremantle-highway/2-1-1492734

[Dargo]

A start may be made today on towing the cargo ship near the Wadden Islands, but a time has not yet been set, Rijkswaterstaat said. The ship, the Fremantle Highway, is now north of Terschelling. The plan is for the vessel to be towed to a safer, temporary location about 16 kilometres north of Schiermonnikoog. The vessel will then be at a greater distance from shipping traffic. It will also be better sheltered in view of weather conditions. The operation is likely to take around 12 to 14 hours. According to the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, the timing of the move depends, among other things, on smoke development, weather forecasts, tides and currents.

Once the operation starts, the stability of the ship will be "continuously monitored", Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Harbers wrote to the House of Representatives. Furthermore, the oil-fighting vessel Arca will be deployed, and the Coast Guard will supervise shipping. According to Harbers, this is "a challenging task". Nevertheless, "no direct consequences for the Wadden Islands, its inhabitants and nature are expected". The mayor of Schiermonnikoog said on Twitter to "keep a finger on the pulse" and "hold our hearts". Once the Fremantle Highway is at its new, temporary location, the intention is that the ship will then be towed to a "port to be determined", Harbers writes. That will only be possible if the situation on board the ship allows it.

[Dargo]

Towing of the burning freighter Fremantle Highway to a temporary location has begun, reports the Department of Public Works. Just yesterday, the government agency said it was not possible to tow the vessel because of south-westerly winds, which would cause smoke to pass over the tugs. But this afternoon, the smoke coming from the freighter was "significantly reduced" and, as a result, the vessel can now be moved. Two tugs will take the Fremantle Highway to a temporary location, 16 kilometres north of Schiermonnikoog and Ameland. This is done at about 5.5 kilometres per hour. The location was chosen because it puts the vessel at a greater distance from shipping traffic. The vessel is also better sheltered there if the weather deteriorates, Rijkswaterstaat informed earlier. Currently, the vessel is still located north of Terschelling. When the cargo ship will arrive at the temporary site cannot yet be said, according to the government department. This depends on weather conditions, smoke development, currents and tides, among other things. "During towing, continuous monitoring will be carried out on, among other things, the stability of the ship," Rijkswaterstaat reported. Once the ship is at its new, temporary location, it will be assessed how to proceed.

[Catfish]

So some electric cars spontaneously [sic!] decided to turn to combustion again

[Dargo]

So some electric cars spontaneously [sic!] decided to turn to combustion againYeah batteries tend to do that. Extinguishing is not an option, only an immersion tank full of water will work to prevent another fire. The car must remain underwater for 24 hours before emergency services continue to clean up. But that is not possible in this case.

[Dargo]

The fire on freighter Fremantle Highway is out, reports the Department of Public Works after an initial inspection. "There are no indications that the fire is still raging," he said. According to Rijkswaterstaat, however, there is a possibility that the fire could flare up again. The situation on board is "still stable". The ship is intact below the waterline and is not tilting. The cargo ship arrived at its temporary location yesterday, some 16 kilometres north of Schiermonnikoog and Ameland. The new location provides a better starting position for the Coast Guard, Rijkswaterstaat and the cooperating salvage companies. The salvage companies are still working on a plan of action for towing to the final location. It is not yet known which port that will be.

[Rockstar]

I can’t see the ship and its cargo as anything other than a total loss. If it were up to me I’d pump out the fuel oils then tow the ship out the deepest part of the ocean and sink it.

[Dargo]

I can’t see the ship and its cargo as anything other than a total loss. If it were up to me I’d pump out the fuel oils then tow the ship out the deepest part of the ocean and sink it.For the owner it will be a total loss, think it will be sold to a ship junkyard

[Jimbuna]

I can’t see the ship and its cargo as anything other than a total loss. If it were up to me I’d pump out the fuel oils then tow the ship out the deepest part of the ocean and sink it.

Better still, take it to some Russian port and have it block the navigation channel.

[em2nought]

I can’t see the ship and its cargo as anything other than a total loss. If it were up to me I’d pump out the fuel oils then tow the ship out the deepest part of the ocean and sink it.

From my suspicious mind, it's not a loss if there were no customers to buy those vehicles in this green new deal economy? :hmmm:

[Skybird]

The fire on the disaster freighter "Fremantle Highway" is out. This is reported by the "Bild" with reference to experts from the "Havariekommando".

[Dargo]

The burnt-out car carrier Fremantle Highway has arrived at Eemshaven in northern Groningen. Around 1.30pm, the ship was sailed into the harbour mouth by a tug. It is now moored at a quay. There, they are considering what to do next. "No later than 14 October it has to be gone again," said Mayor Bolding of Het Hogeland municipality. The manoeuvres were followed from the shore by several dozen interested parties. They had arrived during the morning to follow the trip across the Wadden Sea with binoculars. The viewers gathered at the highest points around the harbour for the best view: the sea dyke and a footbridge over the harbour track. The journey began at 05:00 this morning from the spot 16 kilometres above Schiermonnikoog and Ameland where the ship was temporarily anchored. In convoy including a Coast Guard vessel and the oil-fighting vessel Arca of the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management, it set course for Eemshaven. There, due to the bad weather ahead and the tide, it had to be in by noon. It succeeded.

https://i.postimg.cc/15jMBwq7/Freemantle-Highway.jpg

Eemshaven was also chosen because it was closest and worse weather was on the way. Fire engines and an oil spill response team were also present at Eemshaven. "Nothing has leaked, but should it happen, at least you can act very quickly," said Carlo Eijkels of Rijkswaterstaat. Salvage experts remained on board to continuously monitor the situation. The decision to go to Eemshaven was the subject of extensive consultation with, among others, the safety region and the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management. The Delfzijl Port Authority and the Municipality of Het Hogeland wanted an assurance that they would not be footing the bill if anything went wrong. We got that assurance "in black and white" from the minister, said Mayor Bolding of Het Hogeland. Because its job is over once the ship is moored, Rijkswaterstaat does not want to go into detail about what happens next. "It is expected that inspections will be held, and the salvor will look at how to get the cargo off board," said a spokesperson. "It is up to the owner to see what he still wants to do with it. But you can imagine that if there has been a fire like that, there is not very much left of it." On board were, 3784 new cars, including nearly 500 electric ones, according to the note of lading. US economist Patrick Anderson calculated for the trade magazine Automotive News (https://www.autonews.com/mobility-report/pricetag-car-carrier-fire-more-330-million) that the damage from the cargo alone comes to some €300 million.

https://i.postimg.cc/qBmGByjB/Freemantle-Highway1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/FHSbxqm1/Freemantle-Highway2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/KvktZV1Q/Freemantle-Highway4.jpg

[Rockstar]

More dangerous than a fuel oil spill. Is the hotspots, toxic and combustible gases still lurking. If I remember my shipboard firefighting days. Next step is to overhaul the affected space by keeping them isolated from clean air while breaking up, cooling and extinguishing any hotspots and burning embers. Then start force ventilating the spaces with cool clean outside air and keep testing for toxic, explosive gases and sufficient o2 until it’s safe for damage control and salvage teams to enter with out having to wear a breathing apparatus.

That’s a lot of hard and dangerous work. I still say write it off as a total loss, remove the fuel oil, get it out of port quickly as possible, hold a GUNEX and sink it in deep ocean.

[Dargo]

Salvage crews will take on the burnt-out Fremantle Highway for the first time in the coming days. The freighter, which caught fire a fortnight ago north of Ameland, has been in Eemshaven since last week. On board are 3783 cars, nearly 500 of which are electric. Salvagers from Smit Salvage and others will inspect what remains of the cargo. "Last weekend, quarters have already been made on the ship," says managing director Richard Janssen. The ship was made stable, lighting was installed, gas measurements were taken in various rooms and the firewater was removed. This was necessary before salvagers can start further inspections and work.

The cars on deck one to deck four are still intact as far as can be seen, says Janssen. There are fossil-fueled cars as well as electric cars there. Deck five is empty. The floors above it, decks six to 11, have been badly affected, though. "The fire has raged heavily there. There are probably many burnt-out car bodies involved." Once the cargo has been inspected, the car manufacturers will decide which cars should be moved, Janssen says. No one but the salvagers will be allowed to board. When the cars that are still intact are on shore, experts can take stock of the damage. Then it will be determined what will happen to them. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, Janssen says. In this, the Dutch Safety Board is assisting the Panamanian authorities. They are carrying out the investigation because the ship was flying the Panamanian flag. The Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen Kaisha, owner of the ship, also wants to investigate the cause of the shipping accident together with other relevant parties. Whether the company will send its own experts to Eemshaven is still unclear.

Meanwhile, a new crew has been sent to the Netherlands to help on the ship. "This is needed to operate the engine room, get the ship's systems back online, power the ship and help pump fuel," Janssen said. At what time the ship will be ready to be repaired or scrapped is still unclear.

[mapuc]

^ Isn't it up to the insurance company to decide what's going to happen with this vessel ?

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Usually yes.

[Dargo]

While unloading cars on the freighter Fremantle Highway, a car caught fire. While moving an electric car with water damage, a reaction occurred in the battery, causing a fire, reports salvage company Smit Salvage. The Fremantle Highway is located at Eemshaven in Groningen. Salvors from Smit Salvage and Boskalis started disembarking cars from the ship, on which a fire broke out last month about a fortnight ago.

On board the transport ship were 3784 cars. Over 2,700 vehicles that were on the upper decks were lost in the fire and are still on the ship. The cars on the lower four decks were still reasonably intact after the fire and have now all been taken off board. The car that caught fire today was one of the last cars on the lower decks, reports salvage company Smit Salvage. "We were prepared for all risks and knew in advance that this could happen. We were already on standby and the fire was therefore soon out," says director Richard Janssen. Groningen Seaports, to which Eemshaven belongs, also says the fire was quickly under control. "The salvage fire brigade was already at the scene. When the car was taken off the ship, flames came out from underneath it and the vehicle was immediately hoisted into a container with water.

Smit Salvage reports that there is no reason to panic and that the unloading of cars on the cargo ship can continue as normal. "This does underline our concern, but the risks remain the same. We have to remain cautious." The salvage company expects to need about 10 more days to unload the burnt-out cars on the upper decks as well, "but that does depend on what else we encounter."

[Jimbuna]

Not sold for scrap yet :hmmm:

[Dargo]

Not sold for scrap yet :hmmm:No, there is even talk of repair that depends on the state of the ship.

[Jimbuna]

Be interesting to know what price is set as the 'cut-off' by the insurers.

[Platapus]

That is going to be an expensive fix. :(

[Jimbuna]

Agreed, hence my reference to 'scrap' :yep: