EV Fires remain a Maritime Concerns After Cargo Ship is Abandoned off the Alaska Coast

Article Source: USA Today
Author: James Powel
Date: June 4^th, 2025

On June 3, the Morning Midas, a cargo vessel carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, caught fire off the coast of Alaska. The fire originated on a deck loaded with EVs, prompting the 22-person crew to abandon ship. No injuries were reported, and all crew members were safely evacuated via lifeboat and transferred to a nearby merchant vessel with support from the U.S. Coast Guard. The Liberian-flagged vessel had departed Yantai, China, and was routed to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico.

Fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) have been increasingly more common on car carriers and are difficult to extinguish due to the high heat and risk of reignition. In fact, in 2024, EV vehicle fires across all vessel segments reached their highest level in a decade. Incidents such as these highlight the growing safety and risk management challenges associated with transporting electric vehicles (EVs) at sea.