Fire on cargo ship with 3,000 cars off the coast of Alaska – Greek merchant vessel rescues crew

A cargo ship carrying around 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric cars, caught fire late Tuesday night off the Alaskan coast.

All 22 crew members were safely evacuated after attempts to extinguish the fire failed, according to Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s management company.

The crew used a lifeboat and were rescued by the merchant vessel Cosco Hellas, which was nearby to provide assistance. Cosco Hellas is registered in Piraeus, Greece.

The burning ship, which sails under a Liberian flag, had departed from China on May 26, heading for Mexico. The company reported that smoke appeared to originate from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, although the specific brands onboard were not revealed.

It’s important to note that fires involving electric vehicles pose significant dangers, as they can be challenging to extinguish and may reignite for days.

The Coast Guard dispatched both aircraft and a vessel to aid in the situation, while three other ships were already present at the scene.

This incident is not unprecedented; in 2022, a vessel carrying 4,000 luxury cars—including Porsches and Bentleys—sank off the Azores two weeks after a fire broke out onboard.

Fires on car and container ships present a major challenge for insurance companies. Steamship Mutual, which insures the Morning Midas, chose not to comment on this latest incident.

According to Allianz Commercial, such incidents hit record highs in 2024. As outlined in Allianz’s 2025 report, “the risk remains elevated due to the large size of these ships and the complexities involved in managing fires and rescue operations.”