powerful that it would need 150,000 litres of water to extinguish.
In the near-term, modules that address the dangers of lithium-ion batteries should be added to existing STCW firefighting courses. We then need specific training programmes set up globally and run by experts who can teach seafarers how to deal with this potentially life-threatening hazard.
Establishing what type of training mariners need is the first challenge. The next is ensuring vessels have the right equipment on board to handle a lithium-ion battery fire in line with what they have been taught. For example, crew members may learn that the best approach for dealing with a burning electric vehicle is to submerge it in a tank of water. But what is the point in teaching them this if the ship lacks the right kit or machinery for doing that safely?
Another issue is that electric vehicles are loaded onto carriers in the same way as cars with combustion engines. Petrol or diesel cars that ignite are relatively easy to deal with as each tank has a small amount of fuel that will quickly burn out. With electric vehicles, each lithium-ion battery needs about 50% charge to ensure it does not go flat while being shipped.
Loading electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, each carrying a substantial amount of energy, in the same way as standard cars is recipe for a potential catastrophe. If one battery ignites, it can cause a chain reaction, sparking a huge blaze that mariners will struggle to contain. As part of any training courses, specialists need to think about how electric vehicles are loaded onto car carriers and whether crew members have enough room around burning vehicles to contain the blaze.
A definitive solution for dealing with lithium-ion batteries that overheat, catch fire or explode will likely come from chemistry experts or firefighters. Until that happens, our advice to shipowners and operators is to invest in the latest fire-protection systems such as infrared cameras and heat sensors that can detect issues before a thermal runaway occurs. By installing modern detection systems, maritime companies can safeguard the lives of seafarers who lack the knowledge or training to handle blazes caused by highly volatile lithium-ion batteries.
By installing
modern detection systems, maritime
companies can safeguard the lives of seafarers who
lack the knowledge or training to handle blazes caused by highly volatile lithium-ion batteries.
The Report • June 2023 • Issue 104 | 47
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