Dutch salvage companies Smit and Multraship have been appointed salvors of the K Line-chartered car carrier Fremantle Highway, which caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Well-placed sources within the salvage sector said the two companies have signed a Lloyds Open Form salvage agreement with Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the owner of the 6,220-ceu pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Fremantle Highway (built 2013).