Ship carrying 800 EVs abandoned in Pacific as toxic fire rages

By isabelle // 2025-06-05

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A cargo ship carrying 800 EVs caught fire, forcing crew evacuation and leaving the vessel adrift as toxic fumes spread.
Lithium-ion battery fires are nearly impossible to extinguish at sea, releasing deadly gases and polluting the ocean.
This follows similar disasters like the Felicity Ace, with insurers warning of rising maritime EV fire risks.
EVs' "clean" image clashes with the environmental damage from battery production, shipping, and disposal.
Authorities lack solutions, raising urgent safety concerns over transporting volatile lithium-ion batteries.

What happens when the so-called "green revolution" collides with the harsh realities of physics and human safety? The answer is now billowing toxic smoke over the Pacific Ocean, where the Morning Midas, a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric cars, has been abandoned after a catastrophic fire. This maritime disaster reveals the deadly risks of lithium-ion batteries and the environmental hypocrisy of the EV industry. All 22 crew members were evacuated by the U.S. Coast Guard after flames erupted on the deck holding electric vehicles. The ship, which departed China in late May bound for Mexico, now drifts unmanned as authorities let the fire burn, fearing explosions from unstable batteries. This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s the latest in a string of EV-related maritime disasters, proving that the push for "zero-emission" vehicles ignores the very real dangers of transporting them.

A floating environmental disaster

The Morning Midas is more than a burning ship; it’s a floating environmental catastrophe. Lithium-ion battery fires produce toxic fumes, including hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide, while leaching heavy metals and corrosive chemicals into the ocean. The Coast Guard’s decision to let the fire burn, confirmed by Petty Officer First Class Shannon Kearney, underscores the near-impossibility of extinguishing such blazes. This mirrors the 2022 sinking of the Felicity Ace, which took 4,000 luxury cars including Porsches and Bentleys to the Atlantic floor after a two-week inferno. Insurer Allianz warns that such incidents are escalating, with ship fires hitting a decade high in 2024. "The reality is the risk remains significant due to the size of these ships and the complexities involved in firefighting and salvage," Allianz stated in its 2025 safety report.

The lithium-ion time bomb

Electric vehicles are marketed as clean alternatives to fossil fuels, but their lithium-ion batteries are inherently volatile. When damaged or overheated, they enter "thermal runaway," a chain reaction that releases intense heat and toxic gases. At sea, saltwater corrosion exacerbates the risk, as seen in the Morning Midas fire. Meanwhile, the shipping industry remains ill-equipped to handle EV cargo. Unlike gasoline fires, which can be smothered, lithium-ion blazes require specialized suppression systems. Most vessels lack these, leaving crews helpless. Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s operator, admitted the crew initiated emergency firefighting procedures, but they failed to contain the flames.

The myth of "green" transportation

Proponents of electric vehicles ignore the environmental toll of their production and transport. The Morning Midas was packed with Chinese-made EVs destined for Latin America, where over 60% of Mexico’s electric car sales in 2023–2024 came from China, according to the International Energy Agency. This globalized supply chain fueled by coal-powered factories and diesel-burning ships is anything but "clean." Now, the Pacific is paying the price. The burning wreck will spew particulate pollution equivalent to thousands of diesel trucks, while battery chemicals poison marine life. The Dutch Safety Board recently demanded better emergency protocols after a 2023 freighter fire killed one and injured crew members. Yet the industry continues to prioritize profit over safety, packing ships with untested battery technologies. Rear Admiral Megan Dean of the Coast Guard praised the rescue effort but offered no solutions for preventing future disasters. The Morning Midas will likely sink or be scuttled, joining the Felicity Ace as a cautionary tale.

The high cost of "green" hypocrisy

The Morning Midas fire exposes the lie of "emission-free" transportation. Electric vehicles may not pollute while driving, but their production, shipping, and disposal create environmental nightmares. From toxic fires to exploited labor in lithium mines, the EV industry’s sins are mounting. This disaster should force a reckoning. It is time to confront the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and reject the false narrative that EVs are inherently "green." Until then, the Pacific will keep burning. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NYTimes.com USAToday.com APNews.com