A cargo ship carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, was abandoned by its crew off the coast of Alaska after a fire broke out onboard on 4 June.
All 22 crew members were safely evacuated via lifeboats and transferred to a nearby merchant vessel with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, which also deployed air and sea units to the scene, Reuters reported. The Liberia-flagged vessel, Morning Midas, had departed from Yantai, China, on May 26 and was en route to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico.
Smoke was first observed rising from a deck loaded with EVs, though the specific vehicle brands onboard remain unknown. Fires involving electric vehicles are particularly difficult to manage due to the intense heat and risk of reignition, which can persist for days, Reuters noted.
The incident underscores growing concerns in the shipping industry over fires aboard car carriers and roll-on/roll-off vessels. To remind, in its 2025 safety and shipping review, Allianz Commercial highlighted that there were 250 fire incidents during 2024, up by 20% year-on-year, the highest total for a decade.
