Lithium-ion batteries... should we be concerned?


An opinion article by Mike Schwarz, IIMS Chief Executive Officer.


I have written this short article following the publication of a report into a lithium-ion battery- related fire onboard the ‘MS Brim’ which generated the investigation by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority. The vessel in question is the ‘MS Brim’, a 2019-built all-electric catamaran offering excursion tours in the Norwegian fjords. Although not a technical man, I am troubled by some of the report findings, and forgive me as I have cherry-picked the bits that concern me most from a lengthy report.


So, I pen this article in my simplistic way as a) just a concerned and interested member of the general public and b) in my role as Chief Executive Officer of the International Institute of Marine Surveying on behalf of the surveying community.


Lithium-ion batteries are not brand new, but the technology is becoming far more widely used in vessels as the world looks to decarbonize and cut emissions. The purpose of this article is not to be negative and closed to new technology, but rather to express my concerns based on what I have read with regards to this incident in particular and the safety culture around this means of propulsion. At 81 pages, the report is detailed, but I would encourage you to download it at https://bit.ly/3bdy5vi.


Let me take some words directly from the report itself: ‘Immediately before the fire broke out, the battery system was disconnected as a result of a ground fault, which was indicated on the panel on the bridge. Ground faults had been a recurring problem since the vessel was new. The crew, therefore, perceived the alarm as ‘one of many’.


In the interests of public and crew safety, I ask why this was thought to be acceptable and why no-one reported or did anything about a recurring problem?


BACK TO THE REPORT:


‘There was no camera surveillance of the battery room. The presence of a camera might have helped the crew to dispel the incorrect perception that it was the engine room that was on fire. The DNV’s updated classification rules from 2021 recommend camera surveillance of battery rooms to improve the crew’s situational awareness, in addition to gas monitoring for early detection of gases before they develop into smoke’.


I leave you to draw your own conclusions on this paragraph.


And here is another statement from the report that caused me to raise my eyebrows:


Ventilation for engine room and battery room on starboard side of ‘Brim’. Photo: NSIA 120 | The Report • September 2022 • Issue 101


‘The investigation has also identified several areas where the risks associated with the use of lithium-ion batteries were not sufficiently identified or addressed in the design. At present, DNV’s classification rules for battery safety do not sufficiently address the risks associated with the use of lithium- ion batteries on board vessels’.


OPINION ARTICLE


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