Cargo Ship Full of Luxury Cars on Fire in the Atlantic Ocean

Cargo-Ship-Full-of-Luxury-Cars-on-Fire-in-the-Atlantic-Ocean`

On February 16, the Felicity Ace caught fire en route to the United States. According to Volkswagen’s estimates, the 650-foot, 60,000-ton cargo ship was transporting 4,000 of the world’s most expensive car models. The cars on board the cargo ship included 1,000 Porsches, 189 Bentleys, and an unknown number of Audis. The luxury cars were left floating over the Atlantic Ocean when the fire broke out.

The Portuguese navy reported that the Felicity Ace went ablaze on Terceira Island in the Portuguese island province of the Azores on Wednesday morning. According to VesselFinder, a ship monitoring service, the vessel left Emden, Germany, on February 10 and was due to arrive in Davisville, Rhode Island, after a 13-day voyage.

The Cargo Ship Burned for Days Causing Millions of Dollars Worth of Damages

The ship was reported to have burned for six days. According to the Portuguese navy, all 22 crew members were rescued by helicopter. Thankfully, the fire did not hurt any of the crew members. A spokeswoman for Porsche North America, Angus Fitton, told The Washington Post that “a number of our autos are in the shipment.” Fitton added that the company is “doing everything we can to assist our customers and dealers in finding answers.”

It’s unclear how many luxury vehicles on board were destroyed in the fire, but it’s likely in the millions of dollars.

Matt Farah, an editor at The Smoking Tire, tweeted that he’s been waiting since August for his 2022 frozen-berry metallic Boxster Spyder, which is expected to cost around $123,000. On February 16, he wrote, “I received a call from my dealer just now. My car is currently floating in the middle of the ocean, possibly on fire.”

Up till now, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined. According to a statement subsidiary of Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd in Singapore, “there is no oil leakage from the vessel.”

How Customers Will  Be Compensated for the Cargo Ship’s Damage?

There is hope for clients that are awaiting these vehicles. Commercial insurance coverage for auto manufacturers and shipping businesses would cover their losses.

Those whose automobiles have been lost at sea can choose to resubmit the order, keep their payment, and wait many months for the next shipment. Likewise, they might cut their losses and order something completely different.

In an email, Porsche spokesperson Marcus Kabel said, “We are immediately working to replace every car affected by this occurrence. The luxury cars will be as close to their original, ordered specifications as possible.” The fire is projected to cost the brands involved a total of $155 million in damages.

A spokeswoman for Lamborghini declined to comment on how the Italian firm would deal with the losses. A Bentley official confirmed that the ship has 189 Bentley cars on board, and those customer cars will be replaced first.

Metti International Is Here To Help you Ship Your Luxury Cars

According to Kabel, Porsche will reimburse the deposit if the order is cancelled. Though “most clients are looking forward to receiving reordered automobiles,” he says. One such client is Matt Farah, who has reordered his preferred model of the luxury cars.

We recommend customers ship their luxury cars from major metro areas rather than remote locations. This is because it is challenging most carriers find it difficult to get vehicles when returning. Additionally, carriers find it easier to ship clients’ cars from major sites than from remote locations during pick-up and drop-off.

Metti International Car shipping company is proactive in executing shipping operations with ease for the benefit of consumers. Also, we are a licensed and bonded car shipping broker with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. As a three-time finalist with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Metti International is the top choice for your vehicle shipping needs.

Call Metti International today to schedule your auto transport at (866) 620-1776 or to speak to a sales representative. Contact us today to get an instant quote. For more information, you can also visit our website at www.mettiintl.com

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most major credit cards, postal money orders and cashiers checks are acceptable forms of payment.

As with most transport services, a deposit is generally required when placing an order. Deposits range from 10-25 % of the total shipping cost. The remaining balance will be due upon delivery.

Most auto transport companies accept cash, certified checks, and postal money orders.

Coast to coast trips usually takes between 10-14 days. Shorter trips ranges from 3-7 days, depending on the actual distance. Some factors may delay a trip, including traffic, weather, and truck breakdowns.

Yes, we request you, or a designated person, be present upon pick up of your vehicle. For your safety and your vehicle’s safety, an inspection is performed and a bill of lading must be signed that serves as proof of delivery.

The easiest way to ship an inoperable vehicle is to let us know when requesting a vehicle transport quote. There will be an additional charge, plus loading and unloading charges to your quote, if we are not informed of the vehicle’s condition prior to quoting.

Auto carriers are not licensed to carry house goods or personal items, these goods and items are not covered by the carriers insurance. Any damage to your vehicle due to household goods shifting or breaking is also not covered. Personal belongings left in the vehicle, are shipped strictly at the owners risk. Carriers will not inventory any belongings left in the vehicle and will assume no responsibility.

Your car is insured for the Blue Book value the entire time it is on the truck. Clearly listed on your Shipping Order, Agreement and Bill of Lading are occurrences not covered. At the time of pick up, a condition report is filled out and signed by both the person turning the car over and the truck driver and you are given a copy.

Upon delivery of your vehicle, this same report is presented. You should compare the condition of the vehicle to the report thoroughly at that time. If you feel damage has occurred to your vehicle during delivery, you must note it on the report before you sign it and the driver leaves. Damage done in transit does not relieve the shipper of paying for transport service performed. Claims will be handled by the vehicle carrier and insurance companies.

Metti International offers door-to-door auto transport service where possible. However, there are instances that we cannot collect/deliver directly to the door due to the size of our auto carrier’s trucks. The size of your street may prohibit direct delivery to your door. Also, some towns and cities do not allow trucks on their residential streets. If the carrier cannot get to your door, he will deliver your vehicle to the next most convenient accessible location, such as the nearest major crossing street, a shopping mall or supermarket.

Please have a no more than 1/4 tank of fuel, remove all personal items from your vehicle and have it washed and cleaned so that the ensuing inspection is easily performed. If it is a convertible, T-top, sunroof, etc. make sure all openings are closed and prepared for changing weather. You can find additional tips on how to prepare your car for transport here.