In a striking sea incident, the cargo ship Morning Midas flipped and sank in international waters. The ship sailed 450 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska. It left China for Mexico and held over 3,000 vehicles. Seventy of these were electric, and 681 were hybrids. These electric cars now join many others in world trade.
The accident pulls our view to the risk of electric car batteries in sea accidents. Lithium-ion batteries pack much power. They can burst into flames if they suffer harm or get wet. A fire inside a small space on a ship can run very fast.
Early news points to a fire on board. The fire might have started with one or more electric car batteries. That fire may have upset the ship and led to its sinking. No loss of life is known yet, though some worry that the blaze may have taken lives before the ship went under.
The sinking may hurt the sea too. Thousands of vehicles were aboard, many with lithium batteries. This mix could spill chemicals or fuel into the water. The US Coast Guard’s Western group now works with the ship’s owner. They aim to stop fuel leaks, battery spills, and other waste from harming the ocean.
This event shows the problems in sea trade as electric cars fill up ships more and more. Old ship safety plans must change to work with the risks of electric batteries and keep the crew, the sea, and the cargo safe.
As work on the cause moves ahead, the Morning Midas event reminds us of hidden dangers when new tech meets the wild sea. The public now watches as officials act fast to stop a repeat of this kind of event.
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