A vehicle carrier transporting hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles (EV) sank in the Pacific Ocean after catching fire, fueling renewed concerns about the hazard associated with EV batteries, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The Morning Midas was carrying approximately 3,000 cars, including around 800 EVs, most of which were manufactured in China, according to the WSJ. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, lithium-ion batteries used in many EVs are known to be highly flammable, and have been linked to similar maritime incidents in the past.
The ship had been drifting in the ocean after a fire broke out on June 3, prompting the crew to abandon the vessel. At the time of the incident, the vessel was en route to Mexico.
Several similar incidents involving ships carrying EVs have occurred in recent years. Experts linked a 2022 incident, in which a cargo ship transporting thousands of cars went down in the Atlantic Ocean after catching fire, to a large number of lithium-ion batteries on board, the WSJ noted.
Additionally, the insurance company Allianz recently issued a report warning about the risks of shipping vehicles containing lithium-ion batteries, citing a series of recent fires on vessels, ports and battery facilities. A notable case in 2024 involved a fire and explosion on a container ship docked at a Chinese port, which is thought to have been triggered by a container carrying hazardous materials, including lithium batteries.
“The latest car carriers are able to transport as many as 10,000 electric vehicles. Should something go wrong, that’s a lot of value, and risk to the environment and to the safety of seafarers,” the report read.
Highlighting the potential environmental consequences of the Morning Midas’ sinking, elevated levels of toxic metals were detected near a battery storage facility that burned down in California earlier this year.
The investigation into the cause of the fire aboard the Morning Midas is expected to take several weeks or even months, the WSJ previously reported. Typically, shipowners will hire private salvagers to investigate along with the ship’s insurers and the country of registration, which is Liberia.
Promoting EVs has been a priority for many Democratic leaders, including former President Joe Biden, who implemented new regulations and tax credits to incentivize their production. Additionally, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035, though the rule was recently blocked by the Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump.
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