Thousands of Luxury Cars Are Trapped in Inferno on Abandoned Atlantic Cargo Ship

By Andrew Roberts

The Portuguese Navy rescued the crew of a car carrier ship in the Atlantic called the Felicity Ace. The blaze reported on Wednesday put the 22 members aboard at risk, but thankfully all were rescued and didn't need medical attention.

The same cannot be said for their cargo, creating the most intriguing abandoned ship scenario since that rat-infested cruise ship in the North Atlantic. The Felicity Ace is still burning and floating out at sea, carrying 3,965 Volkswagen group vehicles from Germany to Rhode Island. This includes over 1,000 Porsches and other major names like Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and VW itself.

According to CNN, the ship full of luxury cars is currently adrift as the owners attempt to secure a tow to get it to dock and get the fire under control. The news isn't good for the companies involved, and it might be even worse for people who had orders within the cargo.

"The dealer confirmed that my car, along with at least a dozen other vehicles they were expecting, is on that boat," prospective 2022 Porsche Boxster Spyder owner Matt Farah told the outlet. "They had no further information for me beyond confirming my car was on the boat, and said that as soon as Porsche Cars North America has a plan of any kind with how to proceed, that they would share the plans with me."

If these vehicles can't be rescued, the resulting loss could be hard for those with orders to deal cope. But for everybody else, it is a fun diversionary story that hasn't become an ecological disaster yet. The Portuguese Navy confirmed the ship is still on fire, but they are monitoring it and following alongside with an ocean patrol vessel. If something does go awry, this would be the best defense for now.

Shipping woes and supply chain issues have been common since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Incidents involving cargo ships are also more common today, with one ship blocking up the Suez Canal and clogging shipping lanes for weeks. Some companies are still feeling those woes, with car companies already stretched thin due to the global chip shortage.

All we need are a few enterprising people to get together and make this ship their personal mission. At the very least, they might be able to weasel a Porsche out of the deal. Not too shabby.

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