Photo: Havila Krystruten
Li-Ion batteries in electric vehicles pose a significant fire risk, which was further emphasized after the Felicity Ace cargo ship sank almost a year ago. Following a safety assessment regarding fire risks, a Norwegian ferry company decided to ban all but purely ICE vehicles from its vessels.
Statistics tell us that electric vehicles catch fire from time to time, although those fires are far less common than people imagine. EV fires are less frequent than those affecting ICE vehicles. Nevertheless, EV fires pose a higher risk because they are much harder to extinguish. Li-Ion batteries contain highly flammable electrolytes, and chemical reactions during thermal runaway events generate oxygen. This is why putting out a Li-Ion battery fire requires special firefighting techniques and huge amounts of water.
The combination of highly flammable chemicals and oxygen also makes the Li-Ion batteries burn at significantly higher temperatures than ICE fires. That’s a challenge for shipping companies because high-temperature fires can cripple a ship. In February 2022, the Felicity Ace cargo ship carrying 4,000 cars, including electric vehicles, sank after an onboard fire basically consumed the ship. It’s unclear what started the fire, but the hundreds of electric cars onboard made it impossible to extinguish. It burned until there was nothing left to burn, at which point the ship’s hull was too affected to stay afloat.
In the aftermath of the disaster, there were heated discussions about changes to the shipping industry. Some even hinted at banning electric vehicles from shipping, with several companies considering taking this drastic step. In the latest development, Havila Krystruten, a Norwegian ferry company, banned electrified vehicles from its ships. These include not only EVs but also hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles.
Before jumping to conclusions, Havila Krystruten operates a cruise ferry coastal route, mostly destined for tourists. The journey between Bergen and Kierkenes takes 12 days, while a direct land route takes around 28 hours. The EV ban is for vehicles transported on its four passenger ships, not for purely cargo transports. This will not likely affect EV transport in a country that bet everything on electric cars. The reason for the ban was that the company’s ships didn’t have the capability to extinguish Li-Ion battery fires due to their faster and hotter burn.
“A possible fire in electric, hybrid, or hydrogen cars will require external rescue efforts and can endanger people on board and the ships,” company’s CEO Bent Martini said to TradeWinds. “We take security seriously, and it is, of course, a risk we are under no circumstances willing to take.”
The irony is that the four ships Havila Krystruten operates are all electrified and carry the largest battery packs installed on any passenger vessel. Nevertheless, the company claims the batteries are installed in isolated and fireproof rooms with specific fire protection systems in accordance with current requirements for fire safety on ships.
The combination of highly flammable chemicals and oxygen also makes the Li-Ion batteries burn at significantly higher temperatures than ICE fires. That’s a challenge for shipping companies because high-temperature fires can cripple a ship. In February 2022, the Felicity Ace cargo ship carrying 4,000 cars, including electric vehicles, sank after an onboard fire basically consumed the ship. It’s unclear what started the fire, but the hundreds of electric cars onboard made it impossible to extinguish. It burned until there was nothing left to burn, at which point the ship’s hull was too affected to stay afloat.
In the aftermath of the disaster, there were heated discussions about changes to the shipping industry. Some even hinted at banning electric vehicles from shipping, with several companies considering taking this drastic step. In the latest development, Havila Krystruten, a Norwegian ferry company, banned electrified vehicles from its ships. These include not only EVs but also hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles.
Before jumping to conclusions, Havila Krystruten operates a cruise ferry coastal route, mostly destined for tourists. The journey between Bergen and Kierkenes takes 12 days, while a direct land route takes around 28 hours. The EV ban is for vehicles transported on its four passenger ships, not for purely cargo transports. This will not likely affect EV transport in a country that bet everything on electric cars. The reason for the ban was that the company’s ships didn’t have the capability to extinguish Li-Ion battery fires due to their faster and hotter burn.
“A possible fire in electric, hybrid, or hydrogen cars will require external rescue efforts and can endanger people on board and the ships,” company’s CEO Bent Martini said to TradeWinds. “We take security seriously, and it is, of course, a risk we are under no circumstances willing to take.”
The irony is that the four ships Havila Krystruten operates are all electrified and carry the largest battery packs installed on any passenger vessel. Nevertheless, the company claims the batteries are installed in isolated and fireproof rooms with specific fire protection systems in accordance with current requirements for fire safety on ships.
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