A cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, caught fire Tuesday in the North Pacific, forcing all 22 crew members to abandon the vessel roughly 300 miles southwest of Adak Island, Alaska. The ship, Morning Midas, was en route from Yantai, China, to the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas when the fire broke out on a deck loaded with EVs.
The crew activated emergency fire suppression systems but were unable to contain the flames. The situation escalated quickly, prompting the crew to evacuate into a lifeboat. They were rescued by a nearby merchant vessel, Cosco Hellas, which was in the vicinity and responded to the distress call. No injuries were reported among the crew.
London-based ship management company Zodiac Maritime confirmed the fire and evacuation, noting that efforts are underway to salvage the vessel and contain potential environmental impact. A tugboat has been deployed to assist in firefighting and recovery operations. The U.S. Coast Guard also dispatched aircraft and a response vessel to the area and is working with Zodiac Maritime to assess recovery options.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials noted the blaze originated near the stern of the ship where electric vehicles were stored. The incident has renewed concerns over fire risks associated with EV battery cargo, which is especially challenging to extinguish at sea.
This latest maritime fire echoes a deadly 2023 incident off the Dutch coast involving a freighter carrying 3,000 cars—nearly 500 of them electric—which burned out of control for a week. That fire led Dutch safety authorities to call for improved emergency protocols, particularly when transporting EVs.
With more than 80% of global trade by volume moving via sea and vehicle shipments continuing to rise, safety and fire prevention on ocean-going car carriers are under increasing scrutiny by regulators and logistics firms worldwide.
