Fire-Damaged Fremantle Highway Hitches a Ride to Asia

Dutch marine services company Boskalis has embarked on the final phase of a 15-month saga involving the car carrier formerly known as Fremantle Highway.

The car carrier was fully loaded with vehicles, including hundreds of electric vehicles, when it suffered a devastating fire in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands in July 2023. The blaze claimed one crew member’s life and left seven others injured as they desperately jumped overboard to escape the flames.

A team from Boskalis’ SMIT Salvage, alongside partner Multraship, provided the salvage response to the emergency. “We successfully stabilized the vessel, brought the fire under control, and the car carrier was then towed to Eemshaven where the salvage team carried out essential quayside work,” the company said.

This week, its 275-meter long BOKA Vanguard, the world’s largest semi-submersible heavy lift vessel, loaded the unrecognizable hulk onto its expansive deck at the Port of Rotterdam. The cargo will be secured for a long voyage to the Far East, where it will undergo further repairs and modifications before returning to service.

“Now it’s the turn of our BOKA Vanguard to complete the circle,” Boskalis wrote on LinkedIn. “We wish the crew a safe voyage!”

Notably, the incident drew attention to the risks associated with transporting electric vehicles by sea. Ship charter company “K” Line reported that among the 3,783 vehicles onboard, 498 were electric vehicles.

The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), as the flag state authority, is leading the investigation into the incident, with assistance from the Dutch Safety Board.

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