Nick Blenkey
Crew of Morning Midas were rescued by Cosco Hellas. [U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Air Station Kodiak]
Zodiac Maritime Appoints Resolve Marine for Response to Morning Midas Fire
Zodiac Maritime has appointed Resolve Marine to respond to the fire aboard its managed vehicle carrier, Morning Midas (IMO: 9289910). The vessel remains afloat and, based on the most recent images received from a Coast Guard overflight, remains on fire with smoke emanating from the vessel. There have been no reports of pollution to the water.
A first tug carrying a team of salvage specialists and specialized equipment has already been mobilized and is expected to arrive at the scene on approximately June 9. There it will assess the vessel’s condition and provide necessary support. An additional fire-fighting tug, capable of ocean towage, is also being arranged to provide further support.
Following the crew’s evacuation and until salvage tugs arrive on scene, Zodiac Maritime is continuing to monitor the Morning Midas via the ship’s onboard satellite-connected systems. While this allows for tracking the vessel’s location, the ability to monitor other onboard conditions is limited.
The incident occurred during the vessel’s passage to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. According to media reports, the voyage originated from Yantai, China, on May 26. It was carrying 3,048 total vehicles, with 70 being fully electric vehicles and 681 being hybrid electric vehicles. Smoke was initially seen emanating from a deck carrying electric vehicles.
Swift Crew Response
“We are proud of the diligent efforts of our crew in responding to the fire onboard,” says Zodiac Maritime. “They immediately activated the vessel’s well-drilled emergency firefighting protocols and deployed the onboard fire suppression systems, all of which were fully operational. Due to the intensity of the fire and to prioritize crew safety, the decision was made to abandon the vessel.
“All crew members were safely evacuated without injury via one of the vessel’s two lifeboats and were subsequently rescued by the crew of the Cosco Hellas. We are grateful to the crew of the Cosco Hellas for their swift assistance.”