The loss of Volkswagens and Audis, Bentleys and Porsches as well as some rare Lamborghinis, could reach $150 million.
It has been less than a week since the large cargo ship Felicity Ace caught on firewhile being fully loaded with new cars. The crew was safely evacuated, but the ship emitted black smoke for several days. The smoke has now stopped, salvage crews have arrived on board, but preliminary reports indicate that it isn’t looking good for Volkswagen Group.
Automotive News reports that the ship’s cargo contains 3,965 vehicles. All of them belong to different brands under the VW umbrella. A statement by Volkswagen states that the company is concerned about the damage to the majority of the vehicles. Additional details and investigation into the cargo area are not available. Motor1.com was confirmed by a Volkswagen spokesperson.
Previous reports of the burning ship revealed a number of high-end vehicles, including some the last Lamborghini Aventadors with naturally aspirated, non hybrid V12 powertrains. According to the Automotive News article, many electric vehicles were among the cargo. This made it difficult to fight the fire. It’s unclear at this time how the fire started, or if it has been completely extinguished. Although photos show extensive damage to the ship’s exterior, the Felicity Acident Information Center updated the ship on February 25, 2018, stating that the ship is stable and no oil leaks were detected.
The Felicity Ace was approximately 90 nautical miles from the Azores in Atlantic Ocean when the fire broke out. A large salvage vessel is towing the ship to “safe areas” near the Azores. Two tugboats and another large salvage vessel are assisting the ship in its transport.
The ship was headed for the United States. Volkswagen Group dealers have been informing buyers about a pending order of potential problems. However, it is unclear how long it will take to sort out all details and determine the extent of the damage.