A fire broke out on the large cargo ship — Morning Midas in the central part of the Pacific Ocean. The ship had nearly 3,000 cars on board, including over 800 electric vehicles. This was reported by Bloomberg agency.
The affected ship is said to be located 480 km south of Adak Island, which belongs to Alaska. It departed from Shandong province in China on May 26 and was supposed to arrive at the port of Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico on June 15.
22 crew members were evacuated
According to the statement, the fire began to spread through one of the ship's decks. The crew members attempted to extinguish the fire, but due to its rapid escalation, they were quickly evacuated from the ship.
The identity of the cargo owners is unknown
The identity of the cargo owners has not been disclosed. The exact causes of the fire are currently being investigated. The Morning Midas was built in 2006 by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Co. in China. This ship, weighing 46,800 tons, is currently operating under the Liberian flag.
Lithium-ion batteries — a new source of danger
According to an analysis provided by Allianz, lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles are becoming a significant source of risk for car-carrying ships. Fires of this type are very difficult to extinguish because the batteries generate a lot of heat, and the ship's ventilation system is not sufficiently active.
The publication emphasizes that the steel construction of the ship makes it even more complicated to control the fire, posing a serious threat to the crew members.
This fire incident in the Pacific has raised new questions regarding the safety of transporting electric vehicles. With the increasing number of electric vehicles, the need to minimize risks in transportation and implement new safety protocols has once again become evident.
Photo: AP Photo
