THAMES HIGHWAY
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Cracked fuel line caused fire
Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU), police officers from the 1st Specialist Unit, and the Emden Water Police began their onboard investigation into the cause of the fire aboard the 'Thames Highway' in Emden on Jan28, The cause of the fire has been definitively determined. The investigators were certain that a crack in of a fuel-carrying component of an auxiliary diesel engine in the engine room was the cause of the fire.. Diesel fuel leaked through the crack in the fuel line and ignited on hot engine parts. Due to the pressure in the line, the crack widened, the diesel fuel sprayed out, and the fire broke out,. Based on current findings, there was no indication of human error. The crew reacted quickly and professionally: The room was sealed airtight, preventing the fire from spreading further. No one was injured. The responsible maritime safety authority has temporarily prohibited the ship from continuing its voyage until a certificated of seaworthiness has been presented to the monitoring classification society. The ship remained stationary in Emden as of Feb 9. Report with photo: https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/ursache-feuer-auto-frachter-emden-borkum-100.html
Vehcles carrier towed back to Emden
On the afternoon of Jan 27, the 'Thames Highway' raised anchor, after it was ensured that the fire was finally put out. The two tugs 'Waterstroom' (IMO: 9428047) and 'Waterstraat' (IMO: 9428059) started pulling the ship back to Emden, where it arrived at 8.40 p.m. The central command for maritime emergencies in Cuxhaven ended its intervention. On the whole, 63 rescue forces, four ships and two helicopters were involved in the response. Once the vehicles carrier was safely berthed in the inner port of Bremen, experts started assessing the extent of the damage and determining how it could be repaired. Furthermore, all safety concerns had to be addressed before the "Thames Highway" would be permitted to leave the port again. Meanwhile, the water police was investigating the cause of the fire. The cargo was not affected by the engine room fire. Reports with photos and video: https://www.seenotretter.de/aktuelles/seenotfaelle/feuer-auf-autotransporter-vor-borkum https://www.havariekommando.de/SharedDocs/Aktuelles/DE/2026/20260127_ThamesHighway.html?nn=678620 https://www.havariekommando.de/SharedDocs/Fotogalerie/DE/2026/20260127_Thames_highway/THAMES_HIGHWAY_Bilderstrecke.html?nn=678620 https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/niedersachsen/brand-auf-autofrachter-thames-highway-in-emden-angekommen,frachter-144.html
Fire on vehicles carrier off Borkum island
On the late evening of Jan 26, 2026, a fire broke out in the engine room of the 'Thames Highway', shortly after the ship had left the port of Emden enroute to Grimsby, with 18 crew members and a pilot on board and a cargo of 1,294 vehicles, including 477 electric cars. The ship was unable to maneuver and, as a safety precaution, dropped anchord outside the fairway of the Ems estuary northwest of Borkum, and north of the Dutch Wadden Island of Rottumerplaat, in pos. 53° 37' N 006° 32' E. There were no injuries, and no hazardous materials have been released. Immediately after the fire broke out, the crew sealed off the engine room, preventing it from spreading further. The Maritime Emergency Response Team assumed overall command on Jan 27 at 12:10 a.m. and immediately dispatched a six-person team from the Cuxhaven Fire Department to the vessel. The firefighters, specially trained for fighting ship fires at sea, were flown to the ship by a Federal Police helicopter and lowered onto the 'Thames Highway' by winch. Additional firefighters from Emden and Wilhelmshaven were mobilized too. The lifeboat ' Hamburg' of the DGzRS station Borkum island was stationary in the immediate vicinity of the vessel since the evening in order to provide medical assistance if needed. Additional helicopters, emergency personnel, and ships have also been alerted, including the emergency tug 'Nordic' (IMO: 9525962), the buoy tender 'Norden' (IMO: 9157129) iof the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, and the federal multi-purpose vessel 'Mellum' (IMO: 8301981. The emergency tug 'Multraship Protector' (IMO: 9344978) i of the Dutch Coast Guard went also on standby at the German-Dutch border to provide support. The weather conditions on site included waves up to two meters height and wind force 4. On the morninng of Jan 27, the fire in the engine room has been extinguished. Fire crews from Cuxhaven and Wilhelmshaven remained on board for fire watch. Since the ship was no longer able to move under its own power due to engine damage, it was to be towed to Emden by private salvage companies. On the morning, the tugs 'Gruno IV' (IMO: 6907171), 'Waterstroom' (IMO: 9428047), and 'Waterstraat' (IMO: 9428059) were gathered at the anchor position of the ''Thames Highway'. Report with photo: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/brand-auf-autofrachter-schiff-liegt-manoevrierunfaehig-vor-borkum,frachter-144.html
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