Latest news with #FelicityAce
NZ Autocar
a day ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Another ship up in smoke with EVs blamed
A ship carrying a mix of cars has been abandoned in the Pacific Ocean, after fire broke out. It has burnt out of control for at least a week, with authorities unable to rescue the stricken vessel. The Morning Midas was carrying 3000 cars from China to Mexico when it caught fire about 450km southwest of Alaska. On board were 70 fully electric cars and 861 hybrids. Evidently, the fire broke out on one of the decks carrying the EVs. The US Coast Guard Alaska Division received a distress call at around 3.15pm last Tuesday. The crew of the Morning Midas were unable to get the fire under control so the US Coast Guard advised them to abandon ship. All 22 crew were flown to safety after being rescued by a nearby ship. Salvage operators appointed by the ship's owner, Zodiac Marine, are not expected to reach the vessel until today, almost a week after the fire took hold. Zodiac Marine said a tug heading to the ship 'will assess the vessel's condition and provide necessary support. An additional fire-fighting tug, capable of ocean towage, is also being arranged.' The incident has underlined the safety issues with transporting electric vehicles whose lithium-ion batteries can catch fire. Such fires are hard to extinguish, sometimes burning for a fortnight. All of the ship's fire suppression systems were 'fully operational' at the time of the incident. However the crew were unable to bring the fire under control. They were rescued by the nearby vessel Cosco Hellas after taking to lifeboats. The current status of the ship is unknown. Vehicles aboard the ship were bound for Mexico. The 46,800 tonne Morning Midas left the Chinese port of Yantai on May 6. This isn't the first time a car-carrying ship has burnt down with EVs on board. In 2023 the Fremantle Highway, a car-carrying ship, caught fire with about 3000 cars on board near the Netherlands. It followed the 2022 Felicity Ace disaster, a ship that caught fire in the Atlantic with around 4000 vehicles on board. That vessel capsized and sank with a full load of luxury vehicles aboard, including 1100 Porsches. Electric vehicle fires are notoriously difficult to put out. Thermal runaway fires involving electric cars cannot be stopped by conventional means. Following the Felicity Ace fire, Australian vehicle importer Neville Crichton said he had no doubt the incidents would drive up the retail price of vehicles, as insurance companies had dramatically increased the cost of coverage for cars at sea.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 22 from Burning Car Carrier Hauling EVs Across the Pacific
A car-carrier ship known as the Morning Midas filled with hundreds of EVs has been evacuated by the U.S. Coast Guard some 300 miles off the coast of Alaska after an onboard fire engulfed the 600-foot cargo ship on Tuesday. The ship originated from Yantai, China, on May 26 and was bound for the port of Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, where it was reportedly set to deliver 3000 vehicles, according to a statement from the ship's management company Zodiac Maritime. Of those 3000 vehicles, Zodiac Maritime told Automotive News that the Morning Midas was carrying about 800 electric vehicles, though the manufacturer of these vehicles is not yet known. Zodiac Maritime said that the 22-person crew of the Morning Midas initiated firefighting procedures but were unsuccessful in putting out the blaze, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to evacuate all 22 persons on board. A statement from the Alaska Maritime region of the U.S. Coast Guard said that there were no reported injuries from the fire or during the evacuation. Three USCG vessels initially arrived on scene, with a larger cutter ship and aircraft assets arriving later. This is not the first time in recent years that a boat carrying thousands of cars has sunk. The Felicity Ace, a Panamanian ship regularly contracted by the Volkswagen Group, sank in the North Atlantic Ocean back in 2022 due to an onboard fire allegedly fueled by an electric battery, bringing 4000 VW Group vehicles along with it. (Road & Track editor-at-large Matt Farah actually had a custom-ordered Porsche that sank inside the Felicity Ace.) Then, a Dutch ship known as the Fremantle Highway caught fire in the North Sea in 2023, killing one crew member and drowning a fleet of Rolls-Royces. Similarly, the Grande America sank in 2019 from an on-board fire, dooming a crop of ultra-rare Porsche 911 GT2 RS units. The implications of such an event for automakers are significant in its own right, but this most recent fire re-ignites debate about the safety of shipping electric vehicles. Following the fire and sinking of the Felicity Ace, a number of safety watchdog organizations as well as anti-EV pundits began to question the sanctity of shipping cars that could ignite into a relatively uncontrollable blaze. Allianz Commercial even confirmed to Reuters that such incidents were at the highest level ever in 2024. That being said, the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum recently published a set of guidelines to further prepare ship crew for the potential of fire, and included specific actions meant to limit damage and danger should a blaze occur. While we don't know which manufacturers are affected by this sunken ship just yet, we do know that 3000 vehicles won't ever make it to dealership lots. That's not a drop in the bucket for any automaker, but the safety and security of all 22 crew members remains the most important factor. (This is a developing story; R&T will update it should more information come to light.) You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Arabian Post
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Arabian Post
Electric Vehicle Blaze Forces Evacuation of Cargo Ship Off Alaska
A cargo ship transporting approximately 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric models, was abandoned in the North Pacific Ocean after a fire erupted on board, compelling all 22 crew members to evacuate. The vessel, identified as the Morning Midas, was en route from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, when the incident occurred about 300 miles southwest of Adak Island, Alaska. Smoke was first observed emanating from a deck housing electric vehicles. Despite deploying the ship's CO₂ fire suppression system, the crew was unable to contain the blaze, leading to a complete evacuation via lifeboat. All crew members were safely rescued by the nearby merchant vessel Cosco Hellas. The Morning Midas, a 600-foot-long Pure Car and Truck Carrier built in 2006 and flagged under Liberia, is managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime. The company is coordinating with emergency responders and has dispatched a tugboat to assist with salvage and firefighting operations. The U.S. Coast Guard has also deployed air and sea resources to monitor the situation and support recovery efforts. ADVERTISEMENT The fire's origin remains under investigation, but initial reports suggest it began in the section of the ship carrying electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in EVs, are known to pose significant fire risks due to their flammable electrolyte and potential for thermal runaway. Once ignited, these batteries can be challenging to extinguish, often requiring large volumes of water and specialized firefighting techniques. This incident underscores growing concerns within the maritime industry regarding the transportation of electric vehicles. The increasing prevalence of EVs has introduced new safety challenges for cargo ships, particularly concerning fire hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries. Traditional fire suppression systems, like CO₂, may be insufficient to manage such fires, prompting calls for updated safety protocols and equipment. The Morning Midas fire is the latest in a series of maritime incidents involving electric vehicles. In 2022, the Felicity Ace, a cargo ship carrying nearly 4,000 vehicles, including numerous EVs, caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean and eventually sank. Investigations suggested that a lithium-ion battery may have been the fire's source. Similarly, in 2023, the Fremantle Highway experienced a fire off the Dutch coast while transporting 3,783 vehicles, including 498 electric cars. Although the cause was later determined not to be related to the EVs, the incident highlighted the complexities of managing fires on ships carrying such cargo.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Fire causes another ship carrying EVs to be abandoned at sea
A ship carrying cars from China – including electric vehicles (EVs) – has been abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after its 22-strong crew couldn't contain a fire that broke out on board. The 46,800-ton Morning Midas had left Yantai in China on May 26 heading for Mexico with 3048 vehicles including 70 battery-electric and 681 hybrid cars on board. A statement from the United States Coast Guard News said smoke broke out on the vessel and emergency procedures were undertaken, but the blaze couldn't be brought under control. A distress signal saw the US Coast Guard (USCG) evacuate the crew of the 600-foot ship using a lifeboat, sending air and sea crews to fight the fire. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. There were no reported injuries from the fire and subsequent evacuation, according to the USCG. The vessel was located 300 miles (483km) south of Adak off the coast of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean, with the ship's London-based operator, Zodiac Maritime, working with the USCG to recover the vessel. While combustion-powered vehicles have been known to ignite, fires involving lithium-ion batteries found in many EVs – and portable devices – are difficult to extinguish, with their chemistry more susceptible to heat than other battery types. Brands such as BYD use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for their more stable chemistry and a higher threshold for heat. The brands of the vehicles on the Morning Midas have not yet been specified. The vessel left Yantai where SAIC – owner of car brands including MG and the IM Motors brand soon to be launched in Australia – has a factory, but also docked at Nansha and Shanghai ports, according to Bloomberg. Toyota and Dongfeng build cars in Nansha, while SAIC, Tesla, Volkswagen and General Motors (GM) manufacture cars in Shanghai – among other brands. Out-of-control fires on board cargo ships transporting electric cars around the world have previously caused headlines, the most notable involving a shipment of Volkswagen Group cars. The Felicity Ace is now sitting 3000m on the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Portugal including the 3823 Porsches, Bentleys and Audis it was shipping from Emden, Germany, to Davisville in the US state of Rhode Island. It went down in a dramatic fashion in February 2022, with an out-of-control blaze forcing an evacuation of the crew, which again saw no injuries, as the ship sank while in flames. Content originally sourced from: A ship carrying cars from China – including electric vehicles (EVs) – has been abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after its 22-strong crew couldn't contain a fire that broke out on board. The 46,800-ton Morning Midas had left Yantai in China on May 26 heading for Mexico with 3048 vehicles including 70 battery-electric and 681 hybrid cars on board. A statement from the United States Coast Guard News said smoke broke out on the vessel and emergency procedures were undertaken, but the blaze couldn't be brought under control. A distress signal saw the US Coast Guard (USCG) evacuate the crew of the 600-foot ship using a lifeboat, sending air and sea crews to fight the fire. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. There were no reported injuries from the fire and subsequent evacuation, according to the USCG. The vessel was located 300 miles (483km) south of Adak off the coast of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean, with the ship's London-based operator, Zodiac Maritime, working with the USCG to recover the vessel. While combustion-powered vehicles have been known to ignite, fires involving lithium-ion batteries found in many EVs – and portable devices – are difficult to extinguish, with their chemistry more susceptible to heat than other battery types. Brands such as BYD use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for their more stable chemistry and a higher threshold for heat. The brands of the vehicles on the Morning Midas have not yet been specified. The vessel left Yantai where SAIC – owner of car brands including MG and the IM Motors brand soon to be launched in Australia – has a factory, but also docked at Nansha and Shanghai ports, according to Bloomberg. Toyota and Dongfeng build cars in Nansha, while SAIC, Tesla, Volkswagen and General Motors (GM) manufacture cars in Shanghai – among other brands. Out-of-control fires on board cargo ships transporting electric cars around the world have previously caused headlines, the most notable involving a shipment of Volkswagen Group cars. The Felicity Ace is now sitting 3000m on the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Portugal including the 3823 Porsches, Bentleys and Audis it was shipping from Emden, Germany, to Davisville in the US state of Rhode Island. It went down in a dramatic fashion in February 2022, with an out-of-control blaze forcing an evacuation of the crew, which again saw no injuries, as the ship sank while in flames. Content originally sourced from: A ship carrying cars from China – including electric vehicles (EVs) – has been abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after its 22-strong crew couldn't contain a fire that broke out on board. The 46,800-ton Morning Midas had left Yantai in China on May 26 heading for Mexico with 3048 vehicles including 70 battery-electric and 681 hybrid cars on board. A statement from the United States Coast Guard News said smoke broke out on the vessel and emergency procedures were undertaken, but the blaze couldn't be brought under control. A distress signal saw the US Coast Guard (USCG) evacuate the crew of the 600-foot ship using a lifeboat, sending air and sea crews to fight the fire. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. There were no reported injuries from the fire and subsequent evacuation, according to the USCG. The vessel was located 300 miles (483km) south of Adak off the coast of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean, with the ship's London-based operator, Zodiac Maritime, working with the USCG to recover the vessel. While combustion-powered vehicles have been known to ignite, fires involving lithium-ion batteries found in many EVs – and portable devices – are difficult to extinguish, with their chemistry more susceptible to heat than other battery types. Brands such as BYD use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for their more stable chemistry and a higher threshold for heat. The brands of the vehicles on the Morning Midas have not yet been specified. The vessel left Yantai where SAIC – owner of car brands including MG and the IM Motors brand soon to be launched in Australia – has a factory, but also docked at Nansha and Shanghai ports, according to Bloomberg. Toyota and Dongfeng build cars in Nansha, while SAIC, Tesla, Volkswagen and General Motors (GM) manufacture cars in Shanghai – among other brands. Out-of-control fires on board cargo ships transporting electric cars around the world have previously caused headlines, the most notable involving a shipment of Volkswagen Group cars. The Felicity Ace is now sitting 3000m on the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Portugal including the 3823 Porsches, Bentleys and Audis it was shipping from Emden, Germany, to Davisville in the US state of Rhode Island. It went down in a dramatic fashion in February 2022, with an out-of-control blaze forcing an evacuation of the crew, which again saw no injuries, as the ship sank while in flames. Content originally sourced from: A ship carrying cars from China – including electric vehicles (EVs) – has been abandoned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after its 22-strong crew couldn't contain a fire that broke out on board. The 46,800-ton Morning Midas had left Yantai in China on May 26 heading for Mexico with 3048 vehicles including 70 battery-electric and 681 hybrid cars on board. A statement from the United States Coast Guard News said smoke broke out on the vessel and emergency procedures were undertaken, but the blaze couldn't be brought under control. A distress signal saw the US Coast Guard (USCG) evacuate the crew of the 600-foot ship using a lifeboat, sending air and sea crews to fight the fire. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. There were no reported injuries from the fire and subsequent evacuation, according to the USCG. The vessel was located 300 miles (483km) south of Adak off the coast of Alaska in the North Pacific Ocean, with the ship's London-based operator, Zodiac Maritime, working with the USCG to recover the vessel. While combustion-powered vehicles have been known to ignite, fires involving lithium-ion batteries found in many EVs – and portable devices – are difficult to extinguish, with their chemistry more susceptible to heat than other battery types. Brands such as BYD use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for their more stable chemistry and a higher threshold for heat. The brands of the vehicles on the Morning Midas have not yet been specified. The vessel left Yantai where SAIC – owner of car brands including MG and the IM Motors brand soon to be launched in Australia – has a factory, but also docked at Nansha and Shanghai ports, according to Bloomberg. Toyota and Dongfeng build cars in Nansha, while SAIC, Tesla, Volkswagen and General Motors (GM) manufacture cars in Shanghai – among other brands. Out-of-control fires on board cargo ships transporting electric cars around the world have previously caused headlines, the most notable involving a shipment of Volkswagen Group cars. The Felicity Ace is now sitting 3000m on the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Portugal including the 3823 Porsches, Bentleys and Audis it was shipping from Emden, Germany, to Davisville in the US state of Rhode Island. It went down in a dramatic fashion in February 2022, with an out-of-control blaze forcing an evacuation of the crew, which again saw no injuries, as the ship sank while in flames. Content originally sourced from:
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
EV-Fueled Inferno Forces Crew To Abandon Ship Carrying 3,000 Cars Across Pacific
If fire departments on land have problems unleashing the torrent of water needed to extinguish a single burning EV, the crew of a ship doesn't stand a chance against hundreds of flaming lithium-ion batteries. A cargo ship carrying around 3,000 vehicles across the Pacific Ocean caught fire on Tuesday. The Morning Midas, a 600-foot cargo ship, was in the middle of a voyage from Yantai, China to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico when the fire broke out. Zodiac Maritime, the ship's London-based operator, noted that smoke was first spotted on a deck carrying 800 electric vehicles. Once the blaze got out of control, the vessel's 22 crew members abandoned ship via lifeboat. With the ship roughly 300 southwest of Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard dispatched aircrews and a cutter to respond to the emergency, according to Bloomberg. The evacuating crew on the lifeboat was transferred by the USCG to one of the three other merchants at the scene, helping to fight the fire. Zodiac Maritime wouldn't comment on which automaker's vehicles were burning to a crisp. This is an ongoing story, and we will update when we know more about the fate of the Morning Midas. Read more: These V6 Engines Put The LS1 V8 To Shame The inferno on Morning Midas will remind many of the Felicity Ace fire in 2022. The 650-foot cargo vessel burst into flames while carrying 4,000 cars built by Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen. Despite the hope of towing the ship to port once the fire was put out, Felicia Ace sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The lithium-ion batteries fitted to the EV onboard kept the fire burning much longer than expected. One of the cars that ended up on the seafloor was a Porsche Boxster Spyder ordered by Matt Farah, host of The Smoking Tire. He was just glad that the ship's crew escaped unharmed. Fighting EV fires in the middle of an ocean is a tall task for any crew. It often takes tens of thousands of gallons of water to douse a burning lithium-ion battery. While it might seem straightforward to put a pump over the side and use saltwater to put out the flames, it's not a viable option. The salt in ocean water is electrically conductive and would fuel an ongoing blaze. Current guidelines for crews emphasize early detection and limiting water use by letting EVs burn while containing any potential spreading. We're going to need better ways to fight battery fires if electric vehicles are going to be far more numerous. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
