US auto critic Matt Farah said on Twitter that a Porsche he ordered was on board the ship.
“I just got the call from my dealership,” he tweeted. “My car is now adrift, possibly on fire, in the middle of the ocean.”
The fire is still active Thursday evening and the cause is not yet known. Ships are often divided into sections, which could limit cargo damage.
The ship is operated by Mitsui OSK Lines, which said it “regrets the inconvenience and concern caused”.
He added: “MOL will do everything to contain the damage and resolve the situation as top priorities.”
The crew are safe in a hotel in the Azores and are in good health, he said, adding that he had appointed a rescue team which is due to arrive at the ship on Friday.
Among the 3,965 cars affected were Volkswagens and Lamborghinis, according to German newspaper Handelsblatt.
Container ship fires are rare, but can be catastrophic. In 2018, a fire on the Maersk Honam claimed the lives of five of its 27 crew members after chemicals it was carrying ignited and the ship’s carbon dioxide fire suppression system was unable to control the fire. It was salvaged and renamed the Maersk Halifax.
The size of container ships has increased by 1,500pc since 1968, according to insurer Allianz, which has warned that increasingly sophisticated firefighting systems will be needed to keep pace.
Volkswagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-02-18 13:26:54
