The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced on Tuesday that there is “no indication of an ongoing fire” on the cargo ship Fremantle Highway. The ship has successfully anchored off the Dutch islands in the North Sea. (Photo courtesy: Rijkswaterstaat)
Aug. 1 (UPI) — The authorities in the Netherlands confirmed on Tuesday that the fire on the cargo ship in the North Sea has been extinguished.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management stated that there is “no indication of an ongoing fire” as the Fremantle Highway, a car-carrying cargo ship, is currently anchored in a temporary location.
The officials have inspected most parts of the vessel and confirmed that there are no breaches under the waterline. Therefore, there is currently no risk of the ship taking on water, even though it had been disabled by the fire a week ago while carrying over 3,000 vehicles.
According to the ministry’s statement, the ship is now anchored about 10 miles north of Schiermonnikoog and Ameland. It will remain in this location until the agency and other recovery companies finalize a game plan.
To ensure the ship’s stability, it is still attached to a tug boat and closely monitored. The ministry is collaborating with the Coast Guard and other companies to determine the necessary steps to be taken, including the impact of different scenarios and weather conditions. The time that would least affect other shipping in the area also needs to be determined.
“We are constantly monitoring the Fremantle,” said Cees Zwaan, the captain of the Coast Guard’s measurement and oil control vessel MS Arca. “Only when the situation was so safe that the ship was in its parking space did we take a break to change crew and replenish supplies.
“In addition, we provide traffic management together with the Coast Guard. We call on ships approaching to keep two miles away.”
The ship was relocated on Monday, and its final destination will depend on the situation onboard, weather conditions, and the availability of a port with suitable facilities. Dutch media have suggested that the fire may have originated from one of the 25 electric vehicles onboard, but the Coast Guard emphasized that the cause of the incident is still under investigation.
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