A fire broke out Tuesday, June 3, aboard the 600-foot United Kingdom-flagged cargo ship Morning Midas. The vessel was carrying 3,159 vehicles, including 65 fully electric and 681 hybrid models, while sailing 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska, according to the United States Coast Guard.
The vessel, operated by Zodiac Maritime, was en route from China to Mexico when the fire broke out. The ship’s 22 crew members evacuated in a life raft and were rescued without injury by the merchant vessel Cosco Hellas.
The Coast Guard deployed aircraft and diverted the cutter Munro to assist. Three nearby commercial ships responded to an urgent broadcast. Smoke was still visible from the vessel as of Wednesday evening, the Coast Guard said. Crews were allowing the fire to burn out due to the risk of explosions from lithium-ion batteries on board.
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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, even used or damaged lithium-ion batteries can ignite, release toxic gases or explode — especially in marine or high-temperature environments.
How dangerous are electric vehicle fires at sea?
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries can be especially difficult to extinguish. Coast Guard officials said it remains unclear whether the fire originated from the electric vehicles, but their presence poses added challenges for suppression efforts.
EV batteries burn at high temperatures, emit toxic gases and may reignite even after being suppressed. The risk increases in marine environments where saltwater corrosion can further destabilize battery packs.
How past disasters shape battery safety debates
In a 2022 case with striking similarities, the Felicity Ace burned for nearly two weeks in the Atlantic before sinking off the Azores. The Panama-flagged ship was carrying nearly 4,000 vehicles, including EVs and high-end models from Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini. Volkswagen later said most were unsalvageable.
Risk analysts estimated the cargo loss at more than $400 million, and the incident sparked renewed concern among insurers and maritime safety experts about lithium-ion battery transport.
Where was Morning Midas headed?
The Morning Midas departed from Yantai, China, on May 26, with stops in Shanghai and Nansha, key ports for Chinese EV exports, before crossing the Pacific en route to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico.
Latin America has seen a surge in Chinese electric vehicle imports, with China accounting for more than 60% of EVs sold in Mexico in recent years, according to the International Energy Agency.
What happens next
The Coast Guard said it is coordinating recovery efforts with the ship’s operator, Zodiac Maritime. The vessel carried roughly 350 metric tons of gas fuel and more than 1,500 metric tons of low-sulfur fuel oil.
Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District, praised the nearby ships for saving lives. “We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels,” Dean said.
An investigation into the fire’s cause is ongoing.
