Morning Midas - IMO: 9289910
Overview
Morning Midas is a Liberian-flagged car carrier, constructed in July 2006. The vessel is 183 meters long with a deadweight tonnage of 12,250 and can carry up to 4,943 vehicles across 12 decks. Managed by UK-based Zodiac Maritime and insured by Steamship Mutual, it operates worldwide, primarily transporting a mix of conventional, hybrid, and electric vehicles between Asia and the Americas.
Voyage Details
On her most recent voyage, Morning Midas departed Yantai, China, on May 26th, 2025 under charter to SAIC Anji Logistics. Scheduled stops included Shanghai and Nansha—two of China’s major automotive export hubs, before heading towards Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, with an estimated arrival date of June 15th, 2025.
Fire Incident – June 03rd, 2025
At approximately 00:00 UTC on June 03rd, a fire broke out aboard Morning Midas while the vessel was located around 300 nautical miles south of Adak, Alaska. The fire is believed to have originated on a deck carrying electric vehicles (EVs), with a lithium-ion battery failure suspected as the ignition source.
Despite the activation of onboard fire suppression systems, the fire could not be contained. The crew was forced to abandon the ship and was rescued by the passing container vessel Cosco Hellas (IMO: 9308510), which was en route from Balboa to Busan.
At the time of the incident, Morning Midas was carrying 3,048 vehicles:70 fully electric (EVs),861 hybrid and the remainder were internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
The US Coast Guard Cutter Munro (MMSI: 303866000) was dispatched to the scene, and a C-130J Super Hercules aircrew from Air Station Kodiak conducted an aerial inspection on June 05th. The vessel remains afloat, with smoke still visible rising from the car decks. Morning Midas is currently adrift in remote Pacific waters over 6,000 metres deep, carrying approximately 350 metric tonnes of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tonnes of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).
Salvage Operations
Zodiac Maritime, the vessel’s manager, appointed Resolve Marine as the salvage contractor. A specialist salvage tug equipped with firefighting gear was mobilised and is expected to arrive at the vessel’s position several days after the incident due to the remote location. An additional firefighting tug capable of ocean towage is being arranged to provide further support.
Previous EV Fire Incidents on Car Carriers
The Morning Midas fire is the latest in a series of high-profile car carrier fires linked to electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries, which have been the subject of detailed analysis from Skytek. Notable prior incidents include:
- February 2022 – Felicity Ace
Caught fire near the Azores while carrying around 4,000 luxury vehicles, including approximately 500 EVs. The ship ultimately sank due to the blaze. - July 2023 – Fremantle Highway
Caught fire in the North Sea while transporting 3,783 vehicles, including 483 EVs. The vessel was declared a total loss. - April 2025 – Delphine
While docked at Zeebrugge, Belgium, the vessel caught fire carrying around 200 vehicles, including 60 EVs.
Conclusion
The Morning Midas fire underscores the growing risks associated with transporting electric vehicles by sea, particularly the fire hazards posed by lithium-ion batteries. The vessel has been burning for days in remote deep-ocean waters and is likely to result in a constructive total loss of the vessel.
This and similar incidents highlight the increasing complexity of firefighting and salvage operations aboard car carriers. They reinforce the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols, specialised firefighting systems, and dedicated response strategies for vessels carrying large volumes of electric vehicles.
