Logistics October 27, 2025

Engine Room Fire Causes Power Loss on Grimaldi Car Carrier

Sedat Onat

An engine room fire broke out on Grande Roma, a car carrier operated by Grimaldi Euromed, at the exit of the English Channel. Thanks to the swift response of the crew, no injuries or environmental pollution occurred, and the vessel is being towed to Le Havre Port under escort of the Abeille Liberté tugboat.

Grande Roma, a car carrier operated by Grimaldi Euromed, lost propulsion power following an engine room fire that broke out at the exit of the English Channel on the night of 25 October 2025. The incident occurred around 22:00 local time. According to a statement from the company, the fire started in the engine room of the vessel, which was built in 2003, flying the Italian flag, with a capacity of 5,379 vehicle units (CEU).

Upon detection of the fire, the crew promptly activated the carbon dioxide (CO₂) suppression system and initiated bulkhead cooling operations. The captain confirmed that no crew members were injured and that there was no spillage or pollution at sea. However, as the vessel's propulsion system was completely disabled, Grimaldi activated its emergency response team and requested the chartering of an appropriate tugboat.

Following the incident, the company deployed Abeille Liberté, a high-capacity tugboat from the Les Abeilles fleet. The tugboat reached the vessel at 09:36 on the morning of 26 October and successfully commenced the towing operation. The vessel was scheduled to arrive at Le Havre Port in France on 27 October.

According to the latest AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, Grande Roma is in "not under command" status and proceeding in the Baie de la Seine region, north of Caen. The vessel had departed from Antwerp Port in Belgium on 24 October bound for Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates.

In a statement following the incident, the company confirmed that full support and coordination were provided to both the crew and cargo owners. Grimaldi also stated: "We extend our thanks to the French and English maritime authorities and to Les Abeilles for their swift and professional response."

Technical and Operational Assessment

According to experts, the fire starting in the engine room caused a serious malfunction in the vessel's power system, leading to complete power loss (blackout). In such incidents, the rapid deployment of CO₂ suppression systems plays a critical role in preventing the fire from spreading to the vessel's fuel and power systems. Additionally, the bulkhead cooling method prevents the ship's structure from overheating during the fire, reducing the risk of metal deformation.

Grande Roma is an important member of Grimaldi's fleet of Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) vessels that transport automobiles and heavy vehicles. The company operates regular routes between Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Although the incident was brought under control without damaging the company's operational reputation, it is expected to prompt a review of power security and maintenance protocols.

Similar incidents have occurred in the past, particularly on older Ro-Ro vessels, and have generally been caused by fuel line issues or generator-related technical failures. However, in this case, the crew's rapid response in compliance with protocols prevented both loss of life and environmental damage.

Current Status

Grande Roma is currently being towed to Le Havre Port by the Abeille Liberté tugboat and will undergo technical inspection upon arrival. While the incident is one of several minor operational disruptions the Grimaldi fleet has experienced recently, it is being viewed as a case that will provide the company with important lessons in terms of vessel safety and maintenance procedures.

Key Points:

An engine room fire broke out on the car carrier Grande Roma.
The fire occurred on 25 October at the exit of the English Channel.
The crew activated the CO₂ system to bring the fire under control.
No injuries or environmental pollution occurred.
The vessel lost propulsion power and is being towed to Le Havre by the Abeille Liberté tugboat.
Grande Roma was on the Antwerp–Jebel Ali service.
Grimaldi Euromed thanked the French and English authorities.