U.S Shipping Company Refuses To Carry Cars On Its Ships Over Security Concerns

Matson, an American Shipping Company based in Honolulu, Hawaii, has officially refused to accommodate electric cars as part of its cargo, amidst rising concerns over the safety of transporting electric vehicles by sea.

The news comes a few weeks after a cargo ship carrying 3000 electric cars sank off the Alaska coast after a fire broke out.

Per the U.S Coast Guard, electric cars were somewhat responsible for the fire, which led to the sinking of the ship Morning Midas in June.

The incident has led to an American company refusing to transport electric cars on its vessels, a decision which could impact the auto industry.

Given its location amidst the Pacific, Matson serves many areas in the Pacific.

Matson cited security reasons for taking this decision following the sinking of the Morning Midas after a fire started on the ship.

Morning Midas was carrying the electric cars to a port in Mexico.

It left the port from Yantai, China, in May and was on its way to Mexico on June 3, 2025, when the crew members sent a distress call from the ship.

The U.S Coast Guard said that the fire might have started as a result of batteries in one of the electric cars onboard.

The US Coast Guard believed that the fire broke out as a result of batteries on one of the electric cars onboard.

The crew, unable to contain the fire, decided to abandon the vessel, and all 22 of them were safely evacuated.

Source: Maritime Shipping News