Burning Car Carrier “Morning Midas” Carrying Over 3000 Vehicles Sinks Off Alaska

A large cargo ship transporting 3,048 vehicles from China to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean on June 23, weeks after a fire broke out on board that forced the crew to evacuate.

The vessel, named Morning Midas, went down in international waters approximately 450 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, at a depth of about 5,000 meters (16,400 feet).

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that they received a report at 5:35 p.m. on Monday about the ship’s capsizing and eventual sinking. The Morning Midas was being managed by Zodiac Maritime, a London-based shipping company.

The 600-foot (183-meter) long ship was built in 2006 and was flying the Liberian flag. It had departed from Yantai, China, on May 26 and was on its way to the Mexican port of Lázaro Cárdenas.

The fire started on June 3 while the vessel was around 360 nautical miles southwest of Adak Island, which lies about 1,200 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska.

The ship was carrying a total of 3,048 vehicles, including around 70 fully electric and 681 hybrid cars. Authorities reported seeing a large plume of smoke rising from the ship’s stern, where the electric vehicles were stored. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in EVs, are known to pose a fire risk if damaged.

The vessel also had 350 metric tons of marine gas oil and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil onboard at the time of the incident.

All 22 crew members aboard Morning Midas evacuated safely to lifeboats on June 5 and were rescued by the nearby container ship COSCO Hellas. The Coast Guard said no one was injured during the rescue.

Salvage efforts were launched shortly after the evacuation. A team from Resolve Marine, the same company involved in the cleanup of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, was deployed.

Two salvage tugs, Garth Foss and Salvage Worker, both equipped with pollution control equipment, arrived on scene days after the fire disabled the vessel. They are still stationed at the site to watch for any signs of oil spills or floating debris.

The Coast Guard is continuing to monitor the situation and is working closely with Zodiac Maritime. According to officials, Zodiac is sending a specialised pollution response ship to the area as a precautionary measure.

The oil spill response vessel Endeavour, which is carrying additional pollution control systems including oil spill containment and recovery tools, is currently on its way from Dutch Harbor and is expected to arrive by Thursday.

Capt. Christopher Culpepper, commander of Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic, said the safety of responders remains the top priority. He mentioned that the Coast Guard is working in an advisory role with Zodiac Maritime to ensure a fast and effective response if any pollution is detected.

The exact number of vehicles damaged by the fire before the ship sank is unknown. It is also unclear whether any cars were removed before the sinking. Some reports suggest that the cargo included vehicles from Chinese automakers such as SAIC Motor, Chery Automobile, and Great Wall Motor.

This incident has highlighted the fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. In a separate report, a Dutch safety board recently called for better emergency response measures on shipping routes after a similar ship fire in 2023 involving 3,000 vehicles, including around 500 EVs. The fire lasted for a week, resulting in one fatality and several injuries.

References: USCG, AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News