Höegh Xiamen Declared a Total Loss After Fire in Jacksonville

Photo: Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

The car carrier Höegh Xiamen has been declared a total loss following a fire that broke out onboard last month in Jacksonville, Florida, its owner announced Friday.

Norway-based Ocean Yield ASA said it expects to receive insurance proceeds in Q3 2020 of about USD 26 million, which is close to the book value of the vessel. Net cash proceeds after repayment of debt related to the vessel will be about $8 million, it said.

The Höegh Xiamen is owned by Ocean Yield and was employed on a bareboat contract to Höegh Autoliners.

The fire on the Höegh Xiamen broke out shortly after completing loading vehicles at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal on June 4. The fire resulted in an explosion which injured nine fire fighters, including two with serious burn injuries. The fire burned for eight days before it was extinguished.

All 21 crew members were uninjured in the fire.

As of June 22, five of the injured firefighters were still recovering, JAXPORT said in a statement.

The 4,900 ceu capacity Höegh Xiamen is registered in Norway and was built in 2010.

Höegh Autoliners said the vessel was commercially operated by Grimaldi Deepsea S.p.A. on a service connecting East Asia with North America and the Caribbean via the Panama Canal.

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