EVs banned after ship fires

A major player in American shipping has issued a ban on electric vehicles following devastating fires at sea.

An American shipping company has banned electric vehicles from travelling on its vessels following a series of fires at sea.

The latest fire saw the Morning Midas car carrier burn at sea for three weeks with more than 3000 cars on board before capsizing and sinking to a depth of more than 16,000 feet near Alaska.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, smoke rises from cargo vessel Morning Midas, a cargo ship carrying around 3000 vehicles to Mexico. Picture: U.S. Coast Guard/Courtesy Air Station Kodiak via AP

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It follows similar incidents for car carriers such as the Fremantle Highway in 2023 and Felicity Ace in 2022.

All three ships were carrying a mix of electric, hybrid, and conventionally powered vehicles.

Matson, a company that specialises in shipping goods including vehicles between the US mainland, Hawaii, Guam and Alaska, surprised customers in July by declaring an EV ban.

The merchant ship Felicity Ace adrift after a fire broke out on board in 2022 off the Portuguese coast. Photo: Portuguese Navy / AFP

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A statement issued by the company said that “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,” it said.

“Effective immediately, we have ceased accepting new bookings for these shipments to/from all trades.”

The company says it “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.”

Salvage workers recover an electric Mercedes from the fire-stricken Fremantle Highway ship. YouTube/Eemskrant

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The shipping industry is scrambling to address the risk of EV fires.

A Maritime Technologies Forum report published in March 2025 states that although some regional guidelines are in place, “there are no international regulations dedicated for safe carriage of EVs”.

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) says “batteries that power electric vehicles pose unique fire risks, particularly thermal runaway … Lithium-ion battery fires can be difficult to extinguish, burn at extremely high temperatures, generate flammable and toxic gases, and may reignite even after being seemingly controlled”.

A fire broke out on the Fremantle Highway late on July 25, 2023, killing one crew member, and prompting a massive effort to extinguish the flames. Photo: Handout / Netherlands Coastguards / AFP

Christopher Wiernicki, chairman and chief executive of the ABS, says “runaway electric vehicle fires can reach temperatures of 1,200°F (650°C) or higher and present unprecedented safety challenges to the shipping industry, which connects manufactured vehicles to global markets”.

He says the ABS recently developed a software model for EV fires that “will be a foundation of the ultimate solution” for rules surrounding the shipping of electric vehicles. 

Originally published as EVs banned after ship fires