The name does not apply in this case: Felicity Ace, lucky charm, is the name of the ship that is currently burning and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean, with a heavy load: around 3965 new cars from the Volkswagen Group are on board, according to reports, there are vehicles from the brands Audi, VW, Porsche and Bentley. On February 10, the car freighter of the Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines set off from Emden, the most important export port for the German automotive industry. The destination of the trip: Davisville on the east coast of the USA.
But on day six of what was actually a two-week trip, problems arose. The 200 meter freighter, built in 2005, with vehicles worth at least 200 million euros, had just passed the Azores when the crew discovered a fire in one of the holds and an obviously serious one: According to the shipping company, the entire crew, 22 men, left the ship, not even a core team remained on board. Pictures on Twitter show a lifeboat of the Felicity Ace at the side of an oil tanker who rushed to help. A Portuguese Army helicopter brought the crew from the tanker to the Azores.
Can you still work on board, or is it too hot?
While moaning US customers of expensive vehicles on social media are already mourning the likely many-month delay in delivery of their cars, the salvage of the smoking freighter has begun. the Felicity Ace is bobbing about 150 kilometers southwest of the Azores, the weather is good at the moment, but the wind is blowing from the east at force four to five, which is not without problems for such ships. A Portuguese warship stands guard within sight and awaits the arrival of private salvage ships sent by the shipping company.
The most important question in such cases is whether it is still possible to work on board, explains Holger Jäde vom CCME, the German authority for combating accidents at sea. Thermal imaging cameras would be used to check whether firefighters and other experts could be dropped on the deck or whether it was simply too hot. In addition to assessing the situation and fighting the fire, the task of the experts would be to attach tow ropes Felicity Ace move towards the archipelago. Because no matter what has to be done: sheltered from the wind and ideally with a connection to shore, it’s much easier to work, says Jäde, who himself has a captain’s license. If working on deck and thus towing is not possible, the ship would be cooled from the outside with fire-fighting cannons. Until it becomes clear at some point whether the ship can be repaired – and whether one or the other car is even roadworthy.