Cargo ship carrying Porsches, Audis, catches fire

Bad news for customers waiting in the US

If you happen to be waiting for delivery of a new Porsche, Audi, Bentley, or Volkswagen vehicle in the United States, expect to wait a little longer. A car-carrying ship delivering these luxury vehicles to the US has caught fire off the coast of Portugal. While the ship and its cargo might be toast, all members of the crew were able to safely escape.

According to CNN, a fire broke out in the cargo hold of the Felicity Ace delivery ship and quickly spread, forcing the 22 crew members to abandon the ship. The crew has been safely picked up and taken to safety by other vessels, including the Portuguese Navy. The ship departed from Germany on February 10 and was scheduled to arrive in the US on February 23, 2022.

Porsche has since confirmed to CNN that several customer-ordered vehicles were on board the burning ship. Customers with affected vehicles have already been contacted by their dealers
regarding the issue. Aside from Porsche, Volkswagen also confirmed that they are aware of the incident, but have yet to announce specific details.

In addition to Porsches and Volkswagens, a Bentley spokesperson confirmed with The Drive that several of their vehicles were also onboard the burning Felicity Ace. Given that the ship was carrying vehicles under the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghinis could have been on board as well.

There is no specific number as to how many vehicles were on board the Felicity Ace, but it could range in the thousands. The automotive industry is already struggling with supply chain issues, and this incident is another blow. The only good takeaway is that all members of the crew are safe and nobody was hurt. Cars can be replaced, but lives cannot.