The Fremantle Highway, which burst into flames last Wednesday, probably due to the a battery in one of the electric cars on board overheating, has been towed to safe waters, outside the shipping lanes, 16 km away from the Dutch islands of Schiermonnikoog and Ameland.
When the fire broke out, the ship had left the German port of Bremerhaven a few hours before and was bound for Egypt. One seafarer lost his life as a result of the explosion, while the other crew members (23 in all) were rescued.
The vessel, owned by Shoei Kisen, managed by Wallem Ship Management and time-chartered to Japan’s K Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha), was carrying over 3700 cars, including 500 EVs.
Translation by Giles Foster
