Curiously, the Dutch coast guard had initially reported that only 25 of the vehicles were battery-electric models.

At last report, the Dutch coast guard admitted that it has been unable to put out the fire and that the ship has taken on water and is "listing" and on a trajectory toward a capsize. Should the ship sink, the total loss would also threaten the Frisian island of Ameland, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to over 10,000 aquatic and terrestrial species and located near one of the world's most important migratory-bird habitats.

On a global scale, of course, 3,000 vehicles are but a drop in the bucket, and in insurance terms, the loss of one 18,500–ton transport ship and one human life (all the wounded are expected to survive, despite broken bones, burns, and respiratory problems) is only so much.