The 6,000 CEU "Ah Shin" was en route to the Vietnamese coast when a fire broke out on Friday. Despite efforts to contain it, the blaze swept through three decks of the ship before it was finally extinguished.
The Panama-flagged vessel, built in 1999, was carrying 4,530 cars from South Korea to Singapore when the fire occurred. After the blaze, the ship developed a tilt towards starboard and is currently located around 45 km from the major port complex of Vung Tau in southern Vietnam.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but experts believe that it is likely related to the transportation of lithium-ion batteries.
According to Splash, recently, incidents involving lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly common, leading many shipowners to refuse to transport secondhand cars that contain these batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries, which can reach temperatures of over 2,700 degrees Celsius when they catch fire, can act as serious accelerants in any blaze involving electric vehicles.
Source: Splash