〆 EV-Fitted PCTC ‘Morning Midas’ Catches Fire off the Coast of AlaskaEV積載のPCTCモーニング・ミダス、アラスカ沖で火災発生

EV-Fitted PCTC ‘Morning Midas’ Catches Fire off the Coast of Alaska
— Managed by Zodiac Maritime; US Coast Guard Conducts Rescue Operation

EV積載のPCTC「モーニング・ミダス」、アラスカ沖で火災発生
— Zodiac管理船で事故、米沿岸警備隊が救助対応

On 3 June 2025 (local time), the Liberia-flagged pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Morning Midas (IMO 9289910) caught fire approximately 300 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, in the Pacific Ocean. All 22 crew members were forced to evacuate in an emergency.

The fire is reported to have originated on a deck loaded with electric vehicles (EVs), though it remains under investigation whether lithium-ion batteries were directly responsible. The Morning Midas, a PCTC managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime Ltd., was operating under a charter agreement with Anji Logistics, a logistics subsidiary of Chinese automotive giant SAIC. The vessel was en route from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is currently leading the initial response efforts.

Ship’s Name: Morning Midas
Ship Type: Vehicles Carrier, 4,943 cars
IMO: 9289910
Owner (or Operator): Zodiac Maritime
Shipyard: Xiamen Shipbuilding
Built Date: July 2006
Flag: Liberia
Classification: Lloyd’s Register
Main Dimensions:
Length Overall: 182.80 m
Length Between Perpendiculars: 170.20 m
Beam: 31.50 m
Draught: 9.00 m
Deadweight: 12,249 tons

The article draws on the latest data released by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to detail the ship management company of the Morning Midas as well as the Chinese charterer. It also highlights the recent efforts by Japan’s three major shipping companies to address fire risks associated with electric vehicles (EVs), and presents case studies from the past five years in which EVs are believed to have ignited due to factors such as sloshing or exposure to saltwater. Furthermore, the article examines how Chinese car manufacturers, including BYD and SAIC, are accelerating the construction and deployment of pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) to transport their branded EVs overseas, and it introduces the safety measures these companies have adopted. We encourage you to read the full article.

〆EV積載のPCTC「モーニング・ミダス」、アラスカ沖で火災発生
— Zodiac管理船で事故、米沿岸警備隊が救助対応

米現地時間2025年6月3日、リベリア船籍の自動車専用船「モーニング・ミダス」（Morning Midas, IMO 9289910）が、アラスカ州アダック南西約300マイルの太平洋上で火災を起こし、乗組員22名が全員緊急避難する事態となった。

火元は電気自動車（EV）を積載したデッキとされるが、リチウムイオン電池が直接的な原因かは調査中である。自動車専用船「モーニング・ミダス」はロンドンのZodiac Maritime Ltd.が管理し、中国の自動車大手SAICの物流子会社Anji Logisticsとのチャーター契約のもと、中国・煙台からメキシコ・ラザロ・カルデナスに向けて航行していた。米国沿岸警備隊（USCG）が初動対応を行っている状況だ。

本文では米沿岸警備隊（USCG）が公表した最新データをもとに、「モーニング・ミダス」の舶管理会社、中国のチャーター会社について言及している。さらに日本の海運大手３社の近年のEV車の発火リスクに対する対応のほか、過去５年間のEV車がスロッシング（横揺れ）や塩水などにより発火原因とみられる事故例について紹介している。BYDやSAICなど中国自動車メーカーが自社ブランドのEVを海外へ輸送するため、自動車専用船（PCTC）の建造・運用を加速させており、中国自動車メーカーの安全対札についても紹介する。是非、本文をお読みください。