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February 18, 2022 MOL operated car carrier FELICITY ACE has experienced a fire while underway in the Atlantic on February 16, and all crew has evacuated from the vessel safely. Information regarding this accident will be disclosed in the following website. MOL regrets for the inconvenience and concern caused. MOL will make every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as the main priorities. Incident Overview On 16th February 2022, at approximately 1130hrs CET a fire broke out on the Panama-flagged car carrier, "Felicity Ace" (IMO 9293911) some 90 nautical miles southwest of the Azores in the Atlantic, whilst the vessel was on passage from Germany to USA. All appropriate authorities were immediately alerted and with the assistance from commercial ships and a navy helicopter in the area, all 22 crew members were safely evacuated from the ship and taken ashore. MOL Shipmanagement Singapore, the managers of the 'Felicity Ace', are continuing to make every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as the main priority. Vessel Details & Ownership/Management Details Vessel Name: FELICITY ACE Vessel Type: Vehicle Carrier Flag: Panama Year of Build: 2005 Gross Tonnage: 60118 DWT: 17738 Owner: Snowcape Car Carriers S.A. (100% owned by MOL) Operator: MOL Shipmanager: MOL Ship Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Flagstate: Panama Statement 9 - 2nd March, 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) updates the situation regarding the "Felicity Ace" car carrier. The vessel sank on March 1 around 9AM local time around 220nm off the Azores after having suffered a list to starboard side. When the vessel sank, there was a small oil slick seen in the water. We will continue to monitor the situation of the area. Further information will be provided as it becomes available. Statement 8- 1st March, 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) updates the situation regarding the "Felicity Ace" car carrier. Initial reports from the local salvage team state that the vessel had sunk at around 9AM local time having suffered a list to starboard. The last vessel position was around 220nm off the Azores. The salvage crafts will remain around the area to monitor the situation. Further information will be provided as it becomes available. 
Car carrier "Felicity Ace". Image by Portuguese Navy. Statement 7- 25th February, 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) updates the situation regarding the "Felicity Ace" car carrier. There is no oil leakage from the vessel, and the stability of the vessel remains stable. The smoke leaving the vessel has currently stopped and is not visible. The salvage team on site were able to board Felicity Ace by a helicopter and the vessel has started being towed by the large salvage craft "Bear" to a safe area off Azores. Two tugs, "ALP Guard" and "Dian Kingdom", together with a large salvage craft with additional firefighting capability "V.B. Hispanic" are escorting the vessel. MOL, MOL Ship Management (Singapore), and the salvage team are cooperating fully with local authorities and resources from the Azores to find an early solution to this incident. Statement 6 - 24th February 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) provides a further update on the situation regarding the "Felicity Ace" car carrier which is still assumed to remain on fire drifting south of the Azores Islands in the Atlantic. Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, and the stability of the vessel remains stable. White smoke from the vessel is still visible which has reduced comparing to the past few days. Two large tugs continue to spray the vessel with water cannons to achieve hull and boundary cooling. Two salvage crafts with additional firefighting and towing capability are expected to arrive today. When conditions are safe the salvage team will board the Felicity Ace for an initial assessment of future salvage and firefighting plans. MOL, MOL Ship Management (Singapore), and the salvage team are cooperating fully with local authorities and resources from the Azores to find an early solution to this incident. Statement 5 - 22nd February 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) provides a further update on the situation regarding the "Felicity Ace" car carrier which is still assumed to remain on fire drifting south of the Azores Islands in the Atlantic. Currently, there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, and the stability of the vessel remains stable. Two large tugs have now arrived on scene from Gibraltar and are spraying the vessel with water to achieve hull and boundary cooling. The two tugs will also assist to control the position of the car carrier prior to inspection by the initial salvage team already on site. When conditions are safe the salvage team will board the Felicity Ace for an initial assessment of future salvage plans. Two salvage craft with additional firefighting and towing capability is on passage and one is scheduled to arrive on February 23 and another on February 26. MOL, MOL Ship Management (Singapore), and the salvage team are cooperating fully with local authorities and resources from the Azores to find an early solution to this incident. Statement 4 - 21st February 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) wishes to update the situation regarding the Felicity Ace, car carrier, which is still assumed to remain on fire south of the Azores drifting further away from the islands. Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, which remains stable. Two large tugs with firefighting equipment will arrive on the site today Feb 21 AM local time, and will start spraying water to Felicity Ace together with the patrol boat with the initial salvage team onboard already onsite to cool down the heat from the vessel. Arrival of the Two large tugs will enable to assist the vessel from drifting away and join the monitoring of the vessel with the Portuguese navy 24 hours. The additional salvage craft with firefighting equipment is set to arrive from Rotterdam with ETA delayed to February 26. Together with the all relevant parties, MOL is making every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as soon as possible. 
Car carrier "Felicity Ace" Statement 3 - Singapore - 19th February 2022 MOL Ship Management (Singapore) wishes to update the situation regarding the Felicity Ace, car carrier, which is assumed to remain on fire south of the Azores currently drifting away from the islands. A local patrol boat has arrived on scene with the initial salvage team. Two large tugs with firefighting equipment have been arranged to support the vessel, one of which will arrive from Gibraltar with ETA February 20th. A second tug, also from Gibraltar is scheduled to arrive on scene with ETA February 21st. In addition a salvage craft with firefighting equipment is set to arrive from Rotterdam with ETA February 23/24. Currently there is no oil leakage confirmed from the vessel, which remains stable. Further information will be provided as it becomes available. Statement 2 - Singapore - 18th February 2022 Following the fire on board the car carrier "Felicity Ace" on February 16, MOL Ship Management (Singapore) report that all crew members are now safe in a hotel in the Azores and all are in good health. The Portuguese Navy, through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), has a warship standing by and monitoring the drift of Felicity Ace. Managers have appointed a salvage company and an initial salvage team has arrived in the Azores and is on the way to the vessel estimated to arrive February 18(local time). Further salvage assets are being readied to attend the vessel. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines wishes to thank the Portuguese Navy, the local authorities in the Azores and those vessels that supported the rescue operation of the crew members in the best traditions of the Merchant marine. Statement 1 - Singapore - 17th February 2022 MOL Shipmanagement Singapore, managers of the car carrier “Felicity Ace” (IMO 9293911) report that the Panama Registered vessel has experienced a fire and the Master has taken the prudent decision to abandon the ship. With assistance from commercial ships and helicopter in the area, all 22 crew members have been safely evacuated from the ship. All crew members have been taken ashore to the nearest island. At this time of report, there has been no oil leakage observed from the vessel. Felicity Ace was on passage from Germany to USA, carrying car units, when the fire occurred in approximate position 37 deg.29.9N x 030 deg. 14.00W, some 90 nautical miles southwest of the Azores in the Atlantic. The fire was first reported at around 1130 hrs CET on February 16. All the appropriate authorities have been alerted and are responding. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines as the operator of the vessel and MOL Shipmanagement Singapore, has established an incident response team to coordinate the emergency. As the safety of the crew members have been confirmed, MOL will make every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as the main priorities. Further information will be provided as it becomes available. 
Car carrier "Felicity Ace" Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. press release 
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