Insurance company Russell Group estimated the total damage to cargo on the Felicity Ace at $438 million. Of this amount, cars account for about $401 million, while Volkswagen’s losses could amount to $155 million. At the same time, consulting company Anderson Economic Group expects damages for lost cargo to be $334.6 million, Bloomberg reported.
Let us remind you that the 200-meter roll-off carrier Felicity Ace delivered VW cars from Germany to the USA – in total about 4 thousand cars of the Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi and Bentley brands. While the ship was 90 nautical miles southwest of the Portuguese Azores on February 16, a fire broke out on board. The fire quickly spread and forced all 22 crew members to abandon ship. Rescuers picked up the sailors and took them to the island of San Miguel.
Among the vehicles transported on board are both vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, which are difficult to extinguish. According to one theory, the fire started precisely because of the batteries of one electric car, but this has not yet been officially confirmed.
Photo: Portuguese Navy
As of February 22, the Portuguese Navy reported a significant reduction in smoke from Felicity Ace, however, the fire has not yet been completely extinguished. On February 24, a team of experts is scheduled to fly to the ship in a Portuguese Air Force helicopter to analyze the towing conditions of the ship, located 195 nautical miles south of the Azores island of Faial.
Two rescue ships with additional firefighting and towing equipment are en route to the car carrier. One of them is due to arrive on Wednesday, February 23rd, the other on February 26th.