Firefighting tugs set to tackle burning Felicity Ace

The 60,118 gt, 2005-built car carrier, remained on fire south of the Azores at the weekend.

According to MOL Ship Management (Singapore) on 19 February a local patrol boat had arrived on scene with the initial salvage team. Photos from the Portuguese Navy showed a small vessel spraying the bow of the Felicity Ace.

Two large firefighting tugs were expected to arrive on the scene from Gibraltar on 20 and 21 February. A salvage craft with firefighting equipment was expected to arrive from the Netherlands on 23/24 February.

Smit Salvage said 16 salvage experts were mobilised to the Azores and large equipment was enroute from Spain and the Netherlands.

The 22 crew of the Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) vessel were evacuated after a fire broke out the car carrier at 11-30hrs CET on 16 February 90 nm southwest of the Azores. The crew were reported to be safe and good health at a hotel in the Azores.

The Panama-flagged vessel on a voyage from Germany to the US and according to reports was carrying was carrying 3,965 vehicles for Volkswagen from its Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini brands.

P&I Insurer for the Felicity Ace is Britannia Steamship according to the Equasis database.