Coast Guard Tackles Blaze on Car Carrier 'Morning Midas' Near Alaska, Carrying 800 Electric Vehicles

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently tackling a fire aboard the 600-foot car carrier,Morning Midas,which is situated about 300 miles off Alaska’s coast adn transporting hundreds of electric vehicles.The ship set sail from Yantai, China on May 26 and was headed to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, with an expected arrival date of June 15.as reported by shipping database Equasis, this vessel belongs to Hawthorn navigation Inc., based in London, and is managed by Zodiac Maritime Limited.

Zodiac Maritime has confirmed that the Morning Midas is carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles in total—800 of which are electric. initial reports indicated that smoke was spotted coming from a deck designated for these electric cars. Fortunately, all 22 crew members have been safely evacuated without any injuries; they abandoned ship using lifeboats and were picked up by a nearby merchant vessel.

In response to the emergency situation, several container ships—including the Manukai with a capacity of 3,600 TEU and Cosco Hellas at 9,469 TEU—have changed their routes to provide assistance. The incident has drawn attention not only because of its immediate danger but also due to past issues involving the Morning Midas; it had previously faced penalties related to pollution during an incident back in August 2012 when it collided with another vessel while under different ownership.

The increasing prevalence of electric vehicles equipped with lithium-ion batteries raises concerns about fire hazards on vehicle carriers like this one. A similar incident occurred earlier this year when another car carrier named M/V Delphine caught fire while docked at Belgium’s Port of Zeebrugge due to issues originating from its cargo decks.

Morning Midas can accommodate around 6,000 motor vehicles—a important capacity that underscores the importance of safety measures onboard such vessels.

In light of this recent event on June 3rd at midnight UTC during its journey towards Mexico’s port city Lázaro Cárdenas,Zodiac Maritime issued a statement confirming that all crew members are accounted for and safe. They initiated emergency firefighting protocols using onboard systems but were unable to control the blaze effectively before consulting with U.S.Coast Guard officials for evacuation procedures.

Authorities have been alerted about the situation as efforts continue alongside emergency responders who are deploying tugs for salvage operations and firefighting support. The primary focus remains on ensuring crew safety while safeguarding marine environments from potential harm caused by such incidents.For those interested in maritime developments like these or seeking daily insights into industry happenings—signing up for newsletters can keep you informed!