Matson Halts All EV and Plug-In Hybrid Shipments After Devastating Cargo Fire
Matson, a key Pacific shipping giant, has immediately suspended all new bookings for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle shipments amid safety concerns.
After a cargo ship fire sank thousands of vehicles—including hundreds of EVs and hybrids—Matson pulled the emergency brake on transporting lithium-ion battery-powered cars.
Serving Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and Micronesia, this sudden move disrupts the growing electric vehicle market in Hawaii, where about 37,000 EVs already roam the roads.
Unlike specialized car carriers, Matson ships vehicles in containers, a method that complicates early fire detection and suppression—a major factor behind this decision. The catastrophic Morning Midas fire, which destroyed over 3,000 cars, pushed the company to reconsider safety protocols and halt shipments until new standards emerge.
Matson isn’t closing the door forever; the company says it’s actively supporting industry efforts to develop safer transport procedures and plans to resume EV shipments once reliable safety solutions are in place. Until then, island-bound EV buyers may need to get creative or hold tight.
As EV demand surges worldwide, this shipping suspension underscores the real-world challenges of transitioning to electric on an island scale—because a lithium battery fire at sea is the kind of problem nobody wants to deal with.
Source: Carscoops