Safety of EV Stowage Aboard Ships

The stowage and transportation of Electric Vehicles (EVs) onboard ships is an area of growing concern. Recent widely reported ship casualties and total ship losses caused by onboard EV fires have heightened awareness of the associated risks and firefighting and control challenges of EV fires on ships. Although generally believed to be less likely than fires from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EV fires associated with the thermal runaway of Lithium-Ion batteries are uniquely dangerous.

felicity ace

Felicity Ace. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Fremantle Highway. Photo courtesy of Netherlands Coastguard

Common shipboard vehicle stowage practices, fire detection and monitoring, fire suppression, and firefighting techniques are often inadequate.

  • The maritime regulatory landscape as well as the recommended industry standards related to the safe stowage and transport of EVs are rapidly evolving.

    • Herbert Engineering can review and assess your current stowage practices and fire protection systems for their effectiveness in dealing with Lithium-Ion thermal runaway fires

    • Gaps and higher risk areas in the ship’s fire detection/suppression capabilities can be identified and analyzed

  • Following an assessment of a ships current stowage practices, Herbert can make recommendation on effectively addressing any high risk areas through:

    • Modified stowage practices (pre-stowage inspections, State of Charge limits, vehicle spacing and designated stowage areas)

    • Potential upgrades in early fire detection (off-gassing detection & thermal monitoring)

    • Potential upgrades in fire suppression (deluge water systems, specialized encapsulating foam systems, chilled brine systems)

    • Potential improvements in fire containment (water spray curtains, selective use of fire blankets)

    • Potential improvement in Operational Readiness (crew training for fire watches and specialized Li-Ion firefighting techniques, recommendations on CO2 usage and operation of ventilation and dampers)

EV Transport

Herbert Engineering evaluates your stowage configurations and fire protection systems against industry standards, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending effective solutions to mitigate lithium-ion thermal runaway events.