The burning freighter off the coast of the Netherlands with hundreds of electric cars on board was towed “without any problems” to a new temporary position, authorities said on Monday, trying to avoid an ecological disaster.
The release of smoke remained “minimal”, said the Dutch National Institute for Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) more than five days after the start of the blaze.
“Two tugs began the 66 km journey yesterday afternoon and arrived at the tentative location around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT),” the government agency said in a statement.
The freighter is now 16 km north of the islands of Schiermonnikoog and Ameland. These Dutch islands straddle the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a diversity of more than 10,000 aquatic and terrestrial species, and the North Sea.
The new position better corresponds “to different scenarios and expected weather conditions”, according to the authorities. The boat must be anchored there, and an inspection must be carried out.
According to public broadcaster NOS, this location was also chosen because it is farther from shipping traffic than the ship’s previous position, 18 km north of the island of Terschelling.
“The towing of the ship went without any problems”, praised the Rijkswaterstaat, which added that a favorable current made it possible to sail faster than expected on the second part of the journey.
A boat capable of cleaning up oil spills at sea remains nearby, according to authorities who hope to eventually tow the cargo ship to a port.
The destination depends “on the situation on board the cargo ship, the forecast weather conditions and the availability of a port with the right facilities”.
The towing had started later than expected due to a southwesterly wind which was “sucking” the smoke above the tug.
The cargo ship flying the Panamanian flag carries, according to the transport company K Line, which chartered the ship, 3,783 new cars, including 498 electric vehicles.
The 18,500-ton cargo ship left the German port of Bremerhaven to reach Port Said in Egypt before heading back to Singapore, its final destination.
The cause of the fire, which broke out overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, is unknown, but one of the electric cars on board could be the cause.
One of the 23 evacuated crew members died, and several were injured – most have since been released from hospital, according to Dutch media -.
Operations to extinguish the fire were suspended Thursday to prevent the ship from being destabilized by the amount of water entering.
31/07/2023 16:22:23 – The Hague (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
