Morning Midas Sinks Following Fire Linked to EV Blaze

The cargo vessel Morning Midas, transporting around 3,000 vehicles from China to Mexico, caught fire on June 4 and sank in the Pacific Ocean on June 23, its operator Zodiac Maritime confirmed. The ship was en route to the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacan, after departing from Yantai, China, with stops in Nansha and Shanghai.

Sources cited by Bloomberg report that automakers Chirey and Great Wall Motor were among those affected, with approximately 800 electric vehicles included in the lost cargo. Zodiac Maritime did not disclose the specific brands involved.

The shipment reportedly also included vehicles from General Motors produced in China, though the company has yet to confirm any losses. The cargo was arranged by Anji Logistics, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker SAIC Motor, according to US-based reports.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire began on June 4, potentially originating from an electric vehicle onboard. The situation worsened due to adverse weather, eventually leading to the vessel taking on water and sinking nearly three weeks later.

The Morning Midas set sail from Yantai on May 26, where a SAIC-GM plant manufactures Buick Envista vehicles. Its route included stops in Nansha and Shanghai before heading toward Mexico.

The loss of this shipment significantly affects automotive supply chains in Mexico, particularly for electric vehicles, as the market continues to push for increased EV availability.