Tag Archives: Morning Midas

There Might Be A Problem Getting Electric Vehicles…

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On Monday, Zero Hedge posted an article about a policy change by U.S. shipping and navigation services company Matson.

The article reports:

U.S. shipping and navigation services company Matson surprised customers in recent days by announcing new policies that halt all electric vehicle shipments due to the fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries. This comes after the Morning Midas—a RoRo carrier transporting EVs and hybrids—erupted in flames early last month in the Pacific and subsequently sank. 

Shipping news website The Maritime Executive reports that Matson abruptly suspended the transport of EVs and plug-in hybrids, citing growing safety concerns over lithium-ion battery fires in a letter to clients. The new shipping policy took effect immediately and impacts trade routes across the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam.

“Due to increasing concern for the safety of transporting vehicles powered by large lithium-ion batteries, Matson is suspending acceptance of used or new electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles for transport aboard its vessels. Effective immediately, we have ceased accepting new bookings for these shipments to/from all trades,” the letter stated. 

The article concludes:

The letter said, “Matson continues to support industry efforts to develop comprehensive standards and procedures to address fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries at sea and plans to resume acceptance of them when appropriate safety solutions that meet our requirements can be implemented.”

The letter comes after the Morning Midas sank in the Pacific Ocean in early June following a fire on the ship. Cargo consisted of 70 EVs and nearly 700 hybrids.

Aerial reconnaissance imagery published on X showed white smoke billowing from Morning Midas’ stern section.

The incident mirrors the 2023 disaster off the Dutch coast, when a RoRo vessel carrying 3,000 vehicles—including 500 EVs—erupted in flames, raising global concerns over the fire risks while transporting EVs at sea. 

“Matson continues to transport conventional cars. It offers the service both trans-ocean and also moves the containers interisland in Hawaii as part of its barge service,” The Maritime Executive said. 

Insurance giant Allianz has repeatedly warned about the importance of enhanced safety protocols for maritime shipments involving lithium-ion batteries, citing the global surge in green technology—much of it produced by Chinese manufacturers. 

Green energy is not yet the clean, reliable source it needs to be. More research is needed. One way to encourage that research it to get green energy away from the control of the government and let the free market rule.

A Major Ecological Disaster off Alaska’s Aleutian Island Chain

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On June 6th, I posted an article about the Morning Midas, a ship carrying electric vehicles that was burning in waters off Alaska’s Aleutian island chain. On Tuesday, The Liberty Daily reported the latest on the fire.

The article reports:

A vehicle carrier transporting hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles (EV) sank in the Pacific Ocean after catching fire, fueling renewed concerns about the hazard associated with EV batteries, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The Morning Midas was carrying approximately 3,000 cars, including around 800 EVs, most of which were manufactured in China, according to the WSJ. While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, lithium-ion batteries used in many EVs are known to be highly flammable, and have been linked to similar maritime incidents in the past.

The ship had been drifting in the ocean after a fire broke out on June 3, prompting the crew to abandon the vessel. At the time of the incident, the vessel was en route to Mexico.

Several similar incidents involving ships carrying EVs have occurred in recent years. Experts linked a 2022 incident, in which a cargo ship transporting thousands of cars went down in the Atlantic Ocean after catching fire, to a large number of lithium-ion batteries on board, the WSJ noted.

Additionally, the insurance company Allianz recently issued a report warning about the risks of shipping vehicles containing lithium-ion batteries, citing a series of recent fires on vessels, ports and battery facilities. A notable case in 2024 involved a fire and explosion on a container ship docked at a Chinese port, which is thought to have been triggered by a container carrying hazardous materials, including lithium batteries.

According to the Thompson safety website:

As fire fighters have discovered in recent years, lithium-ion battery fires are prone to reigniting. That’s because the lithium salts in the battery are self-oxidizing, which means that they can’t be “starved out” like a traditional fire. So how do you put it out?

Because the lithium has an ignition point of 500°C, the battery has to be cooled to a sub-ignition temperature. That’s why it took the fire fighters in Texas 30,000 gallons of water and 4 hours to extinguish the blaze.

Why This Is Relevant To You

As the popularity of electric vehicles and machinery continues to increase, so will the number of fires and other accidents that involve them. For instance, most forklift manufacturers have moved away from traditional lead-acid batteries in favor of more powerful and efficient lithium-ion alternatives. Laptops, tablets, phones, and pretty much all other portable electronics use them as well.

While the chances of a lithium-ion battery catching fire are minimal, it’s important that you’re aware of the possibility and have a plan of action prepared if it ever happens.

I think we need to do more research before we put an electric vehicle in every garage.