MV Fremantle Highway#2023 fire
{{Short description|Ro-ro cargo ship burning in 2023 off the coast of the Netherlands}}
{{redirect|Fremantle Highway|highways of Fremantle, Australia|Fremantle#Transportation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
| infobox caption = MV Fremantle Highway }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:MULTRATUG 3 , EN AVANT 25 , FREMANTLE HIGHWAY , FAIRPLAY I , FAIRPLAY X (53207617004).jpg | Ship image size = | Ship caption = Fremantle Highway after the 2023 fire }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *2013–2024 Fremantle Highway
| Ship owner = Shoei Kisen | Ship operator = K Line | Ship identification = *{{IMO|9667344}}
| Ship builder = Imabari Shipbuilding | Ship status = Under repair in China | Ship notes = | Ship launched = 30 September 2013 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Ro-ro/car carrier | Ship tonnage = {{GT|59525}} {{DWT|18549}} | Ship length = {{convert|199|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|32|m|abbr=on}} | Ship power = 12.240 kW (16.642 PS) | Ship propulsion = single shaft, 1 screw | Ship speed = {{convert|21|kn|abbr=on}} | Ship capacity = 6,200 cars | Ship crew = 23 | Ship notes = }} |
File:Fremantle Highway fire disaster 2023-07-27 OpenSeaMap.png
MV Fremantle Highway is a car carrier owned by the Japanese tonnage provider Shoei Kisen Kaisha, while the vessel is technically managed by Wallem Shipmanagement Japanese and operated by "K"-Line. Fremantle Highway is Panamanian-flagged.
On the night of 25 July 2023, a fire broke out in the loading area of the ship in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands. One of the 23-man crew died; the rest were rescued. A salvage operation to prevent sinking and an oil spill lasted until 3 August 2023. The vessel was shipped in 2024 to China for rebuilding, as Floor.
== Design and description ==
The ship, which is {{convert|199|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long with a beam of {{convert|32|m|abbr=on}}, is powered by a two-stroke eight-cylinder diesel engine with an output of {{cvt|12240|kW|lk=on}}. The engine acts on a propeller. Four diesel generators with a total output of 4,750 kW are available for power generation. A stern ramp on the starboard side and a side ramp approximately in the middle on the starboard side are available for cargo handling. The rear ramp can be loaded with up to 100 t. The maximum ceiling height on the vehicle decks is {{convert|5.1|m|abbr=on}}.
History
Fremantle Highway was built in 2013 under the yard number 1617 at the Japanese shipyard Imabari Zōsen. The keel was laid on 17 May and the launch took place on 30 September 2013. She was completed on 17 December 2013.
= 2023 fire =
Fremantle Highway caught fire off the coast of the Dutch island of Ameland around 11.45 pm (CET) on 25 July 2023 while en route from Bremerhaven, Germany, due to arrive in Egypt's Port Said on 2 August 2023. K Line and Shoei Kisen Kaisha stated that the ship was bound for Singapore and carried approximately 3,000 cars.{{cite web |url=https://container-news.com/japanese-car-carrier-fremantle-highway-still-burning-off-dutch-coast/ |title=Japanese car carrier Fremantle Highway still burning off Dutch coast |work=Container News |date=27 July 2023 |access-date=1 August 2023}}
One of the 23-man crew died,{{Cite web |title=Feuer auf dem Autofrachter (Update 40): Teil der Crew aus Krankenhaus entlassen |url=https://www.nordsee-zeitung.de/Bremerhaven/Feuer-auf-derFremantle-Highway-Frachter-leicht-abgedriftet-3-152302.html |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=NZ-Online |language=de}} while the others were all evacuated on a helicopter and lifeboat by the Netherlands Coastguard. All the seafarers were Indian nationals; 16 of them were injured. Fremantle Highway was subsequently towed out of the main shipping lanes.{{Cite web |title="Fremantle Highway": Kühlen von brennendem Frachter gestoppt |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/niederlande-frachter-brand-fremantlehighway-102.html |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}
The German company BLG stated that they had loaded 2,500 cars and "high and heavy" cargo on Fremantle Highway at the port of Bremerhaven in addition to already loaded cars.{{Cite web |title=Frachter "Fremantle Highway" hat in Bremerhaven 2.500 Autos geladen - buten un binnen |url=https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/blg-hafen-bremerhaven-freemantle-highway-100.html |access-date=31 July 2023 |website=butenunbinnen.de |language=de}} On 28 July, it was reported that there were almost 500 electric cars on the ship, which was significantly more than originally assumed, although all were recovered without significant damage and did not contribute to the fire. A total of 3,783 new cars were on the ship, as reported by the Dutch media.
== Environmental risks ==
The fire and resulting unmanned ship posed environmental risks to Ameland and the Wadden Sea area spanning the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to the German Federal Environment Ministry, there were 1,600 tons of heavy fuel oil (1.6 million litres) and a further 200 tons of marine diesel oil on board as ship bunkers.{{Cite web |last=NDR |title=3.000 Autos geladen: Frachter "Fremantle Highway" auf Nordsee in Flammen - ein Crewmitglied ist tot |url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/Feuer-auf-Fremantle-Highway-Sorge-um-Wattenmeer-ist-gross,frachter692.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=ndr.de |language=de}}
== Salvage operation ==
Dutch and German tugboats and fireboats were ordered to attend to the burning ship, as well as an oil-recovery vessel in case of a leak.{{Cite news |date=26 July 2023 |title=Ameland rescue: Crew jump off ship ablaze with cargo of 3,000 cars |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66310280 |access-date=30 July 2023}} The ship was at a position north of the island of Terschelling, between two very busy shipping routes to and from Germany.{{Cite news |date=30 July 2023 |title=Niederlande: »Fremantle Highway« kann jetzt doch abgeschleppt werden |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/niederlande-fremantle-highway-kann-jetzt-doch-abgeschleppt-werden-a-cc725909-693f-4d0e-b85d-ead19cbdd220 |access-date=31 July 2023 |issn=2195-1349}} The salvage operation was led by the Netherlands Rijkswaterstaat, joined by the Netherlands Coastguard and contracted salvage companies, like Smit International, Multraship Towage and Salvage and Boskalis. The owner of Fremantle Highway contracted the Dutch heavylift company Royal Boskalis Westminster for the salvage operation.{{Cite web |date=26 July 2023 |title=Boskalis en Multraship moeten brandende car carrier Fremantle Highway bergen |url=https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2023/07/26/boskalis-en-multraship-moeten-brandende-car-carrier-fremantle-highway-bergen/ |access-date=30 July 2023 |website=Schuttevaer.nl |language=nl-NL}}
Since there was a risk of the ship becoming unstable due to water accumulation, only the bow was cooled with water. A towing connection was established on 28 July. Since the fire broke out, the ship could not be dragged because of the effects of streaming conditions, tide and wind to the 199 m long and {{cvt|30|m|ftin}} high ship. However, the position could be altered by the tugboats Fairplay-30 and others.{{Cite web |date=26 July 2023 |title=Deutschsprachige im Ausland - DACHIST ☑️ Niederlande Netzwerk |url=https://www.dachist.org/de/home.html |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=dachist.org |language=de}}
On 29 July, Fremantle Highway was towed away from its dangerous berth, eastward off the Wadden Sea island of Schiermonnikoog. Strong south-westerly winds blew smoke from the cargo ship directly over the tug. The authorities temporarily stopped the operation.{{Cite web |title=Wind und Rauch stoppen Transport von brennendem Frachter – DW – 30.07.2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/de/wind-und-rauch-stoppen-transport-von-brennendem-frachter/a-66389225 |access-date=30 July 2023 |website=dw.com |language=de}}
On the afternoon of 30 July, two tugs managed to start towing to the provisional sea position north of Schiermonnikoog. The ship remained there until a port was found. The still-burning freighter arrived at its new provisional anchorage around midday on 31 July after a risky transport along the Wadden Sea islands.{{Cite news |date=31 July 2023 |title=Niederlande: »Fremantle Highway« an vorübergehendem Ankerplatz in der Nordsee angekommen |language=de |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/niederlande-fremantle-highway-an-voruebergehendem-ankerplatz-in-der-nordsee-angekommen-a-53ee8b13-3214-4234-a3aa-775f2683817d |access-date=31 July 2023 |issn=2195-1349}}
On 1 August, a team of experts went on board of Fremantle Highway and deemed there were no remaining visible fires and that the hull of the ship was in an acceptable condition. That night, the wind picked up and the waves got bigger. It became more difficult for the salvage team to keep the ship in position. Another towing connection was fitted on 2 August to connect the ship to tugs from the front and from the rear.{{Cite web |last=Meyer-Feist |first=Andreas |title=Nordsee: Bergungsunternehmen drängt auf Verlegung des Autofrachters |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/fremantle-highway-130.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}} The CEO of the salvage company Boskalis warned that enormous forces were already acting on the ship's high flanks. If the wind got any stronger, there was a risk that the ship would no longer be controllable. The north-west wind forecast for the following days would drive the ship towards the coast, said Peter Berdowski of Boskalis. The company wanted the ship to move to the port of Eemshaven on short notice, which was the closest to reach.
Wind forces of 7 to 8 Beaufort were forecasted for the first weekend in August 2023. The high hull and thus very large surface wind attack surface caused the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Mark Harbers, to have the ship towed to the port of Eemshaven, {{cvt|64|km}} away from the latest holding position. The towing operation began on the morning of 3 August around 5 am.{{Cite web |last=Mandra |first=Jasmina Ovcina |date=3 August 2023 |title=Towing of Fremantle Highway begins with Eemshaven selected as the port of refuge |url=https://www.offshore-energy.biz/towing-of-fremantle-highway-begins-with-eemshaven-selected-as-the-port-of-refuge/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=Offshore Energy |language=en-US}} The towing convoy with the wrecked ship arrived there at noon.{{Cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=3 August 2023 |title=Burnt-out ship carrying 3,700 cars towed to Dutch port of Eemshaven |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/burnt-out-ship-fremantle-highway-carrying-3700-cars-towed-to-dutch-port-of-eemshaven |access-date=3 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}
== Investigations ==
There has been much speculation that the battery pack from an electric car caused the fire, but this proved to be wrong when offloading the ship.{{Cite web |title=E-Autos nicht schuld am Frachterbrand |url=https://www.automobilwoche.de/bc-online/fremantle-highway-elektroautos-bord-waren-nicht-die-brandursache |date=25 August 2023 |access-date=14 October 2023 |website=automobilwoche.de |language=de }}{{Cite web |title=E-Auto wohl doch Ursache für Brand auf Frachter |url=https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/E-Auto-wohl-doch-Ursache-fuer-Brand-auf-Frachter-article24289538.html |access-date=31 July 2023 |website=n-tv.de |language=de}} Around 1,000 cars were recovered in essentially good condition - among them all the 498 electrical cars which were on board the ship.{{Cite web |title=It wasn't an EV that caused the 'Fremantle Highway' to catch fire |url=https://www.electrive.com/2023/08/14/it-wasnt-an-ev-that-caused-the-fremantle-highway-to-catch-fire/ |date=24 August 2023 |access-date=14 October 2023 |website=electrive.com |language=en}} However, the cause of the fire is unknown.{{Cite news |last1=Campenhout |first1=Charlotte Van |last2=Jaiswal |first2=Rishabh |date=26 July 2023 |title=Ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars ablaze off Dutch coast, crew member dead |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/one-dead-cargo-ship-fire-electric-car-suspected-source-dutch-coastguard-2023-07-26/ |access-date=31 July 2023}} Investigations started when the ship was moored in Eemshaven.{{Cite web |last=Meyer-Feist |first=Andreas |title=Wie es mit dem havarierten Frachter "Fremantle Highway" weitergeht |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/frachter-fremantle-highway-100.html |access-date=4 August 2023 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}{{Cite web |date=26 July 2023 |title=Electric car suspected in ship fire off Netherlands |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230726-deadly-fire-burning-on-car-transport-ship-off-netherlands |access-date=31 July 2023 |website=France 24 |language=en}}
== Reactions ==
A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said that, in light of the growing number of fires on cargo ships, IMO will announce new safety standards for those transporting electric vehicles in 2024. The guidelines could include specifications on how fully a battery can be charged. The IMO said that chemicals for extinguishing fires, special fire blankets, equipment such as battery-penetrating jet extinguishers, and bigger gaps left between electric vehicles on ships, could also become mandatory.{{Cite web |title=Q&A: Fire on board the Fremantle Highway ship – DW – 07/30/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/qa-fire-on-board-the-fremantle-highway/a-66385434 |access-date=30 July 2023 |website=dw.com |language=en}}
Christian Meyer, minister for the environment of Lower Saxony, a German coastline state, demanded better safety and environmental standards for commercial ships. High-risk ships should not take any coastal routes and thus endanger the Wadden Sea National Park. Meyer recalled the past ship disasters with the {{ship||MSC Zoe}}, in which several containers fell overboard and landed near Borkum in 2019, and the {{MV|Pallas||2}}, which was wrecked off the German island of Amrum in 1998.{{Cite web |last=tagesschau.de |title=Niedersachsen: Niedersachsens Umweltminister fordert mehr Sicherheit auf Schiffen |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/niedersachsen/ndr-niedersachsens-umweltminister-fordert-mehr-sicherheit-auf-schiffen-100.html |access-date=30 July 2023 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}
German nature conservation organization NABU demanded that the protection of the Wadden Sea should have priority over economic interests. They also stated that maritime traffic had to be reorganized around marine protected areas in order to comply with the EU biodiversity strategy, and that the transport of battery-powered vehicles had to be carried out under much stricter transport and fire protection regulations. Germany should play an active advocate for these regulations at the IMO in cooperation with the Netherlands and Denmark.{{Cite web |title=Brennender Autofrachter: Weltnaturerbe Wattenmeer in Gefahr - NABU |url=https://www.nabu.de/news/2023/07/33695.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=NABU - Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. |language=de}}
Politicians of the Wadden Sea islands and nature conservationists are demanding that the southern route into the German Bight, which runs through the Wadden Sea, be closed to dangerous transport.
= Rebuild =
File:Fremantle Highway in Eemshaven (cropped).jpg
After the ship's cargo was unloaded in Eemshaven, the Japanese shipping company wanted to clarify in August 2023 whether the ship could be repaired or whether it had to be scrapped. Following the first sightings in Eemshaven, insurance companies were assuming that the freight was a total loss. It was estimated at around 300 million euros. However assessment by a salvage contractor showed that decks 1 to 5 and the engine room were unaffected.{{Cite news |last=Bokkum |first=Milo van |date=2024-08-05 |title=Zo mocht het autoschip na de brand toch naar China |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2024/08/05/zo-mocht-het-autoschip-na-de-brand-toch-naar-china-a4861809 |access-date=2024-08-06 |work=NRC |language=nl-NL}}
On 19 August 2023, the unburned vehicles from the lower decks began to be disembarked. Before leaving the ship, the cars were washed to remove any remaining pollutants.
On 8 September 2023, Boskalis reported that the ship had been returned to its owner.{{cite web |title=Salvage Completed on Fire-Damaged Car Carrier Fremantle Highway |url=https://maritime-executive.com/article/salvage-completed-on-fire-damaged-car-carrier-fremantle-highway |access-date=8 September 2023 |website=The Maritime Executive }}
Later the ship was bought by Koole Contractors from the insurer at a price of €1.
The ship was towed to Rotterdam, where it arrived on 23 September 2023.{{cite news |date=23 September 2023 |title=Fremantle Highway – Ausgebrannter Autofrachter soll in Rotterdam repariert werden |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/fremantle-highway-ausgebrannter-autofrachter-soll-in-rotterdam-repariert-werden-a-77d1f85e-18f1-403d-9ac7-a039d309f9e6 |access-date=24 September 2023 |work=spiegel.de |language=de}}{{cite news |date=23 September 2023 |title=Burnt-out Fremantle Highway cargo ship arrives at Rotterdam port |url=https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/23/burnt-fremantle-highway-cargo-ship-arrives-rotterdam-port |access-date=24 September 2023 |work=nltimes.nl}} There the ship was cleaned and about a third of the ship was dismantled, including most of the upper decks. Around 2800 burned car wrecks were removed from the ship.
In the meantime the ship was bought by Qingshan Shipyard Group of Xiamen, China for €11 million, and renamed to Floor.{{Cite web |last=Chambers |first=Sam |date=2024-08-06 |title=Car carrier hit by massive fire a year ago readies for new life in China |url=https://splash247.com/car-carrier-hit-by-massive-fire-a-year-ago-readies-for-new-life-in-china/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Splash247 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Blenkey |first=Nick |date=2024-11-07 |title=VIDEO: Fire gutted Fremantle Highway gets a new name and heads for rebuild |url=https://www.marinelog.com/news/video-fire-gutted-fremantle-highway-gets-a-new-name-and-heads-for-rebuild/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Marine Log |language=en-US}} In October 2024, the ship was placed upon the semi-submersable salvage ship Boka Vanguard and transported to China, where new upper-decks will be built.{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Dick |date=2024-12-27 |title=Boskalis' BOKA Vanguard Delivers Car Carrier Fremantle Highway – Renamed Floor – to Far East. |url=https://www.heavyliftnews.com/boskalis-boka-vanguard-delivers-car-carrier-fremantle-highway-renamed-floor-to-far-east/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Heavy Lift News |language=en}} Due to a global shortage of car carriers, the one-year rebuild would be cost effective compared to €100 million and 4 years of build time for a new car carrier.
See also
- List of shipwrecks in 2023
- List of roll-on/roll-off vessel accidents
- Felicity Ace, a car carrier that caught fire and sank in 2022
References
{{Reflist|30}}
External links
- {{Commons category inline|Fremantle Highway (ship, 2013)}}
- Shipspotting.com ship images. https://www.shipspotting.com/photos/3770057 "FLOOR - IMO 9667344". Retrieved 10 June 2025.
{{2023 shipwrecks}}
Category:Cargo ships of Panama