Overview

• The US Coast Guard has opted to let the fire burn out at sea and is coordinating salvage operations with vessel operator Zodiac Maritime.
• Morning Midas caught fire on June 3 in the North Pacific during its voyage from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, while carrying around 3,000 vehicles.
• All 22 crew members were safely evacuated after onboard firefighting systems failed to contain the blaze.
• The ship’s cargo includes roughly 800 electric cars alongside 350 tons of gas fuel and 1,530 tons of low-sulfur fuel oil, raising the threat of a major marine contamination.
• The incident echoes the 2023 Fremantle Highway fire and has intensified scrutiny of maritime safety protocols for transporting electric vehicles.