Latest news with #CoscoHellas
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
An abandoned ship full of EVs is burning in the Pacific
A cargo ship transporting 3,000 cars was abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday after a massive fire broke out. As of Friday, the ship was still burning. The blaze may have been fueled by the vehicles' lithium-ion batteries, which are notoriously difficult to extinguish once ignited. The ship, named Morning Midas, was reportedly carrying 3,000 cars on a journey from Yantai, China to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. Of those vehicles, about 750 were fully electric or partial hybrids, powered at least in part by large lithium‑ion batteries that can short‑circuit and ignite extremely hot fires. Although the exact cause has yet to be determined, the Morning Midas crew reported smoke rising from the deck around midnight on Tuesday. A representative from Zodiac Maritime, a UK-based ship manager overseeing the vessel, told The Register that the 22 sailors on board responded to the fire on Tuesday and attempted to extinguish it using the available onboard fire suppression systems. It wasn't enough. As the blaze grew out of control, the crew reportedly issued a distress call and abandoned the ship in lifeboats. A nearby merchant vessel responded and rescued all 22 sailors, according to a statement released by the U.S. Coast Guard. As for the Morning Midas, it remains afloat and burning in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, approximately 304 miles south of Adak, Alaska. It's unclear what makes or models of cars were aboard—or whether any of them will be recoverable. In a statement sent to Popular Science, Zodiac Maritime said the decision was made to prioritize safety crew and abandon the vessel due to the intensity of the fire. Zodiac has appointed salvage company Resolve Marine to respond to the ongoing fire. A separate team of salvage specialists are expected to arrive on the scene by June 9. Zodiac says it's continuing to monitor the Midas' status via its onboard satellite-connected systems. 'As the search and rescue portion of our response concludes, our crews are working closely with the vessel's manager, Zodiac Maritime, to determine the disposition of the vessel,' US Coast Guard Seventeenth District Commander Rear Admiral Megan Dean said in a statement. 'We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives.' Related: [Electric vehicle fires are rare, but challenging to extinguish] You've likely seen images of firefighters struggling to put out fires in Teslas and other large EVs. While EVs are statistically less likely to catch fire than vehicles with internal combustion engines, the fires that do occur are significantly more difficult to extinguish. That's due to a phenomenon known as thermal runaway. The large lithium-ion batteries that power EVs can short-circuit, triggering a chain reaction that eventually leads to ignition. Thermal runaway can take days, or even weeks, to manifest. But once ignited, these fires burn much hotter than those caused by traditional internal combustion engines. They can also reignite after being extinguished, making them especially challenging for firefighters to manage. Cargo ships are a perfect breeding ground for potentially dangerous fires. They're often tightly packed with vehicles and have limited ventilation, meaning a fire in one vehicle can quickly spread to others. And while ships are typically equipped with some firefighting systems, those measures may be insufficient once a blaze spreads across multiple vehicles. In 2022, a cargo ship transporting 4,000 vehicles caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean and eventually sank. Just a year later, another ship carrying around 3,000 vehicles caught fire off the Dutch coast. That incident killed one person and injured several others. Carmakers and battery suppliers are making efforts to improve the durability and reduce the risk of lithium ion fires. Just this week, Texas-based Alkegen, a major supplier of cell spacers used in batteries, announced commercial production of a new type of aerogel insulation they say can protect EV batteries from thermal runaway. Other companies have made improvements in monitoring systems to keep tabs on a battery's health and more intelligent charging protocols that prevent damage from occurring from overcharging. Even with those improvements though, the sheer scale of new EVs being shipped to meet increasing global demand means fires, either on ships or out on streets, aren't likely to go away anytime soon.
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles ablaze off Alaska's coast
By Dean Murray A significant maritime emergency is unfolding as a cargo ship carrying over 3,000 vehicles is ablaze off Alaska. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said Friday (June 6) they are continuing to respond to a fire aboard the Morning Midas vessel, located approximately 340 miles southwest of the city of Adak. The 600-foot vessel, carrying vehicles including dozens of electric and hybrid models, caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a swift rescue operation. All 22 crew members evacuated safely into a life raft and were rescued by the nearby merchant vessel Cosco Hellas. No injuries have been reported among the crew, who remain aboard the Cosco Hellas as it continues its voyage. In an update Friday, the USCG said their HC-130J Super Hercules aircrew conducted an overflight and confirmed the vessel was still burning, though there were no signs of the ship taking on water or listing. The full extent of the damage remains unknown. London-based Zodiac Maritime, one of the world's largest shipping companies, manages the Morning Midas. They are coordinating with salvage specialists who are expected to arrive at the site early next week. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has issued a Broadcast Notice to Mariners to alert vessels in the area and continues to monitor the situation closely. The Morning Midas was en route from Yantai, China, to a major Mexican port when the incident occurred. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The post Cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles ablaze off Alaska's coast appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
22 rescued after ship carrying thousands of cars caught fire off Alaska
KODIAK, Alaska – Nearly two dozen crew members were rescued from a burning cargo ship that caught fire off the Alaska coast earlier this week. The U.s. Coast Guard responded to a large fire on the United Kingdom cargo ship Morning Midas carrying thousands of vehicles roughly 300 miles from Adak. The Coast Guard said 22 crew members were aboard the ship when the fire started. Photos from Tuesday show the ship smoking, as well as the Coast Guard's response. Cruise Ship Passenger In Italy Blown Overboard By Strong Winds Watchstanders immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting assistance from vessels in the vicinity of the Morning Midas. Three good Samaritan vessels responded to help. A Coast Guard ship and aircrew were directed to the scene as well. Live Video Awaits Moment Of Possible Underwater Volcanic Eruption Off West Coast All 22 crew members evacuated the ship in a life raft and were rescued without injuries by one of the Good Samaritans. "We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives," said Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard's Seventeenth District. Watch: Sled Dog Puppy Cam At Denali National Park In Alaska Goes Live The Coast Guard said the boat was still smoking on Wednesday. The ship was estimated to have approximately 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil onboard. They were also reportedly carrying a total of 3,159 vehicles, with 65 being fully electric vehicles and 681 being partial hybrid electric vehicles, the Coast Guard said. How To Watch Fox Weather The cause of the fire is article source: 22 rescued after ship carrying thousands of cars caught fire off Alaska
CBC
a day ago
- Automotive
- CBC
22 crew members rescued from lifeboat in North Pacific after cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles catches fire
The crew of a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned ship after they could not control a fire aboard the vessel in waters off Alaska's Aleutian island chain. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles Tuesday, according to U.S. Coast Guard photos and a Wednesday statement from the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime. There were no reported injuries among the 22 crew members of the Morning Midas. Crew members abandoned ship, were evacuated onto a lifeboat and rescued by the crew of a nearby merchant vessel called the Cosco Hellas in the North Pacific, roughly 490 kilometres southwest of Adak Island. Adak is about 1,930 kilometres west of Anchorage, the state's largest city. The crew initiated emergency firefighting procedures with the ship's onboard fire suppression system, but they were unable bring the flames under control. "The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations," Zodiac Maritime said in a statement. "Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment." The U.S. Coast Guard said it sent aircrews to Adak and a ship to the area. The status of the fire onboard the ship was unknown as of Wednesday afternoon, but smoke was still emanating from it, according to the Coast Guard. Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard's Seventeenth District, said in a statement that as the search and rescue part of the response concluded, the Coast Guard was working with Zodiac Maritime to determine how to recover the ship and what will be done with it. "We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives," Dean said. The 183-metre Morning Midas, a car and truck carrier, was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The cars left Yantai, China, on May 26, according to the industry ship-tracking site They were being shipped to Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico. Earlier this month, a Dutch safety board called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire on a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. That fire killed one person, injured others and burned out of control for a week, and the ship was eventually towed to a port in the northern Netherlands for salvage. The accident increased the focus on safety issues on the open sea and on containers that fall off the massive freighters, which have increased in size dramatically in recent decades. More than 80 per cent of international trade by volume now arrives by sea, and the largest container vessels are longer than three football fields.
New York Post
a day ago
- General
- New York Post
22 crew members rescued after cargo ship carrying 3,000 electric vehicles catches fire near Alaska
The crew of a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned ship after they could not control a fire aboard the vessel in waters off Alaska's Aleutian island chain. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles Tuesday, according to U.S. Coast Guard photos and a Wednesday statement from the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime. There were no reported injuries among the 22 crew members of the Morning Midas. Advertisement 4 Smoke rose from The Morning Midas when it was approximately 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska. AP Crew members abandoned ship, were evacuated onto a lifeboat and rescued by the crew of a nearby merchant vessel called the Cosco Hellas in the North Pacific, roughly 300 miles (490 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island. Adak is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, the state's largest city. 4 The ship was carrying around 800 electric vehicles from China en route to Mexico. via REUTERS Advertisement The crew initiated emergency firefighting procedures with the ship's onboard fire suppression system. But they were unable bring the flames under control. 'The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations,' Zodiac Maritime said in a statement. 'Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment.' 4 The crew abandoned the ship after they could not control a fire. AP The U.S. Coast Guard said it sent aircrews to Adak and a ship to the area. The status of the fire onboard the ship was unknown as of Wednesday afternoon, but smoke was still emanating from it, according to the Coast Guard. Advertisement Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard's Seventeenth District, said in a statement that as the search and rescue part of the response concluded, the Coast Guard was working with Zodiac Maritime to determine how to recover the ship and what will be done with it. 'We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives,' Dean said. 4 'We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives,' Rear Admiral Megan Dean said. AP The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas, a car and truck carrier, was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. Advertisement The cars left Yantai, China, on May 26, according to the industry site They were being shipped to Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico. Earlier this month, a Dutch safety board called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire on a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. That fire killed one person, injured others and burned out of control for a week, and the ship was eventually towed to a port in the northern Netherlands for salvage. The accident increased the focus on safety issues on the open sea and on containers that fall off the massive freighters, which have increased in size dramatically in recent decades. More than 80% of international trade by volume now arrives by sea, and the largest container vessels are longer than three football fields.
