US-bound Cargo Ship carrying Porsches catches fire

A cargo ship carrying Porsche and Volkswagen cars has caught fire. It was transiting the Atlantic ocean, bound for Rhode Island in the US.

The RORO ship named Felicity Ace left Emden, Germany on February 10, 2022, loaded with brand new Porsche and Volkswagen cars. It was expected to reach Davisville, Rhode Island on February 23.

According to media reports, the incident came to light when the ship transmitted a distress signal. It is said that fire broke out in one of the cargo decks. It announced “not under command” as the bridge lost control of the vessel shortly after.

The Portuguese Navy and other merchant ships in the area rushed to the help of the Felicity Ace. There were 22 crewmembers on board at the time of the accident. Reports suggest that everyone has been rescued.

The Felicity Ace was built in 2005. It has a capacity of 17,738 tons and can carry around 4,000 vehicles. In 2019, a similar car carrier with over 4,000 vehicles onboard had capsized off the coast of Georgia.

Source: The Washington Post, The Drive