The Grimaldi Group said a major blaze on a ro-ro car carrier off the coast of Spain is likely to have been caused by batteries in two new cars onboard, fuelling concerns over the risks posed by cargoes of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The 3,320-lane-metre Grande Europa (built 1998) caught fire 40 kilometres (25 miles) off Palma de Majorca on 13 May with 1,843 vehicles onboard.