A cargo ship carrying luxury cars from Germany to the US is adrift in the Atlantic Ocean after catching fire. 22 crew members have abandoned the vessel to save themselves.
Cargo ship with luxury cars catches fire
A cargo ship loaded with Volkswagens and Porsches caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel is almost 650 feet long and is capable of carrying 4,000 cars. According to the Portuguese Navy, the fire broke out when the ship was sailing at 90 nautical miles in the southwest of the Azores. Moreover, they were successful in rescuing all 22 of the crew members and were taken to Failal island via helicopters. The vessel was scheduled to reach Davisville on February 23.
Fortunately, the crew is safe but, the fire is still raging. The owners are arranging to tow the ship and control damage. The army describes it as a “highly skilled and physically demanding” task. The cargo ship, Felicity Ace is operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), a Japanese shipping line registered in Panama. Volkswagen stated that the Felicity Ace was transporting the “vehicles that the German automaker manufactured” to the US. “Our immediate thoughts are of relief that the 22 crew of the merchant ship “Felicity Ace” are safe and well. A number of our cars are among the cargo. We are also in contact with the shipping company and the details of the cars onboard are now known,” stated Porche Cars North America.
What next? The buyer’s perspective
Moreover, new Proche owners expecting to pick up their new cars are worried about the status of their cars. The firm also stated that those who are “concerned by this incident and the implications on the car” should contact their Porche dealer. “I just got a call from my dealer. My car is now adrift, possibly on fire, in the middle of the ocean,” stated Matt Farah, a buyer. However, the extent of the damages caused by the fire is unknown. Additionally, the firm has not released the inventory of the cargo ship.