Ship transporting thousands of cars sinks in – Business News
A ship holding thousands of cars sank in the Pacific Ocean on Monday, weeks after a fire broke out on a deck that was holding electric automobiles – stoking industry considerations round transporting extremely flammable batteries.
The 600-foot-long Morning Midas had been adrift at sea since June 3, when flames broke out and the crew was pressured to desert ship.
The ship was carrying 3,000 cars, together with 800 EVs, when it sank in worldwide waters roughly three miles deep, in response to the ship’s proprietor, London-based Zodiac Maritime.
The Morning Midas vessel had been adrift at sea since June 3, when a fire broke out. AP
It had been weakened by fire injury and intense climate, the company mentioned.
“As a precaution, two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment remain on site to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris. Their crews are safe,” Zodiac Maritime informed The Post in a assertion.
“A specialized pollution response vessel is also en-route to the location as an additional precaution.”
The company mentioned it’s working with the US Coast Guard and Resolve Marine, which specializes in marine emergency response. The Coast Guard and Resolve Marine didn’t instantly reply to The Post’s requests for remark.
Most of the automobiles on board the vessel have been made in China and headed towards Mexico.
The sinking raises considerations concerning the risks of the extremely flammable lithium-ion batteries usually used in electric automobiles.
The ship had been weakened by fire injury and intense climate when it sank. USCoast Guard.
Just two weeks in the past, Waymo was pressured to droop service of its driverless EVs in downtown Los Angeles after anti-ICE protesters set 5 of its automobiles ablaze.
Police officers warned residents to steer clear of the melted steel heaps, for the reason that batteries can release poisonous fumes, like hydrogen fluoride, when set on fire.
In 2022, a 60,000-ton cargo ship referred to as the Felicity Ace carrying thousands of luxurious cars sank in the Atlantic Ocean after a fire on board burned for practically a week.
Experts employed to salvage the ship mentioned the massive quantity of lithium batteries possible induced the fire to unfold and keep ablaze for longer.
