The fire on the Fremantle Highway started Tuesday night near a chain of islands in the north of the Netherlands and has been burning ever since. On board the ship there are 3,783 new cars, of which 498 were electric, said the company that chartered the merchant.
One crew member died and others were injured after the fire broke out while sailing from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore. The entire crew was evacuated early Wednesday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
Measurements taken on Friday showed that the heat, flames and smoke had subsided enough for salvage experts to board the vessel for the first time and establish a strong towing connection, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said.
It will be towed, probably over the weekend, to a new site 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of the island of Schiermonnikoog, the ministry said in a statement. The operation is expected to last between 12 and 14 hours depending on the evolution of the smoke and weather conditions, he added. The objective is, “when the conditions on board allow it”, to tow it to port, although its final destination is yet to be decided.
According to the ministry, the ship is stable and intact below the waterline.
The ship is located near the shallow Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is considered one of the world’s most important habitats for migratory birds. In addition, it is located near the border between the Netherlands and Germany, whose environment minister, Steffi Lemke, warned of an “environmental catastrophe of unknown proportions” if the ship sank.
