We had difficulty believing the news at first, when we learned of four or five explosions and fires on ships every week. However, the in-depth article in Insurance Business was well-researched, and so we took it at face value. The information comes from insurance brokers, who say lithium-ion fires are very hard to extinguish particularly out at sea.
‘Staggering Losses’ From Maritime Fires and Explosions
These fires can be particularly significant if the vessels carry large cargoes of electric vehicles.The lithium-ion batteries release fumes that are suffocating, toxic in confined spaces, and emit extreme heat.
The International Maritime Organization has issued tighter guidelines for cargo certification, and fire-detection equipment onboard ships. Insurers are enforcing higher standards of compliance too. These may include handling lithium-ion batteries in strict accordance with manufacturer advice.
Evidence for lithium-ion batteries being behind four or five explosions and fires on ships every week, came into sharp focus on June 3, 2025. That was when a fire broke out on the 600-foot-long car carrier Morning Midas, with a significant number of electric cars in its cargo.
The fire began on the deck housing the electric vehicles, but then spread to some of the other 3,000 vehicles owing to the immense heat. The firefighting equipment was hopelessly overwhelmed. The crew abandoned ship. They left the fire to rage for weeks, before Morning Midas finally slipped beneath the waves.
How Could This Still Happen on Modern Ships?
Morning Midas lies in deep water 300 miles off the coast of Alaska. There would not be much point in sending a submersible down, because the fire has most likely destroyed the evidence. We can only surmise what may have happened, based on our knowledge of lithium-ion batteries generally.
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