Floating and Burning, Unmanned Ship Carrying EVs Meanders in Pacific Ocean With Help Unavailable

Talk about a cruise to nowhere. A large car carrier that caught on fire in the Pacific Ocean will continue to float around on its own and burn for days.The ship, called the Morning Midas, might be turning everything into a charred mess instead of gold as vehicles go up in smoke. The ship was carrying 3,000 vehicles, including approximately 800 electric and hybrid vehicles, when it caught on fire early Tuesday.The crew was unable to get the flames under control with the onboard fire suppression systems. Zodiac Maritime, which manages the ship, says due to the intensity of the fire, the decision was made to evacuate the 22 crew members. They piled onto a lifeboat and motored away from the 600-foot-long vessel.That has left the ship meandering in the north Pacific on its own as it burns. The company says the first boat from a salvage company is not expected to reach the vessel until Monday, meaning the fire could burn for nearly a week before specialized equipment arrives to assess the vessel’s condition. The company is still working to hire an additional fire-fighting tug that is capable of towing it across the ocean.Zodiac Maritime says all it can do right now is monitor the ship via its onboard satellite-connected systems. “While this allows for tracking the vessel’s location, the ability to monitor other onboard conditions is limited,” the company said in an emailed statement Thursday to the Sun. That means the company can track the ship’s location but executives have no idea about what is going on with the burning vehicles.The U.S. Coast Guard flew over the ship two days ago and took photos showing thick smoke pouring out of it, but there have been no reports of pollution to the water, the company said.“We remain in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and all other relevant parties as we continue efforts to ensure the safety of all involved and to protect the marine environment,” the company’s statement said.The fire is believed to have started on a deck carrying the EVs and hybrid vehicles. The cause of the fire is unknown but lithium batteries, which are used in EVs, are blamed for a number of fires. A car carrier caught fire in the North Sea in 2023, killing one crewman. The owner of the ship said the fire was likely to have started from an EV battery.Insurers have also raised concerns about an increasing risk of fires on car carriers, an industry site, Container News, reported.

Floating and Burning, Unmanned Ship Carrying EVs Meanders in Pacific Ocean With Help Unavailable

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