Essentially the subdivision of the watertight compartments makes it like an oven, which is illustrated in the thermal image. Whilst this was not an EV fire, it demonstrates how fire can spread longitudinally in these vessel types.
In an emergency, a typical muster on a vessel takes between 8-12 minutes. The crew then need to get kitted up and access the fire for firefighting. A normal BA set has around 20 minutes of air, and it could take a fire team 5-10 minutes to reach the required car; the fire team must also factor in having enough time to safely get back out. Taking into account the time taken to enter and leave the compartment the crew is likely to have a very short period to fire fight.
Additionally, excessive amounts of water cannot be used for firefighting, as too much water on an open deck could lead to free surface effect and stability issues.
Due to the tightly packed cargo stow, there can also be physical challenges for seafarers fighting these fires as there is very limited access between vehicles. The minimal space between vehicle rows also means that it is difficult for wearing a breathing apparatus (BA) set.
There is the added uncertainty of what vehicle types are stowed on deck. Locating the origin and source of the fire can be difficult in the stow, as well as recognising if the vehicle is electric, hybrid or ICE. Currently, there is no requirement for identifiers to be placed on the cars to distinguish between electric, hybrid, or ICE vehicles.
Stowage of containers (with EVs inside) in the hold can be beneficial as the space could be flooded with CO2, but fighting a fire within a specific container could be difficult.
Stowage on deck can be beneficial as the container can be situated away from the accommodation but could still be difficult to access.
Stowage in the upper tier locations on deck can present challenges in the event of a fire, unless the ship is fitted with hi-rise monitors/nozzles to apply large quantities of water direct to the burning container.
Due to the nature of the stow, it can be difficult to access specific containers. Mis- declared cargo is also an issue that can affect firefighting and emergency situations.
ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTING CONSIDERATIONS
As previously discussed, the batteries are located in the chassis of the vehicle. Approaching can therefore be difficult for any firefighting team as their pathway can be blocked by flames.
In addition, significantly more water is required for fighting an EV fire compared to a combustion engine vehicle. For example, 30,000 gallons of water over 4 hours are estimated to be required for an EV fire, instead of 500-1,000 gallons over 30 minutes for a combustion engine car. Large quantities of water are not suitable for use on ships, particularly on large open surfaces as previously discussed.
THE REPORT | SEP 2025 | ISSUE 113 | 67
The recommended firefighting method for a Li-ion battery fire is the use of a fire blanket weighing 20-40kg. Practically, this will not be easy for a fire team to handle and use in a tight stow, particularly whilst wearing BA.
CONTAINER SHIPS
Container ships present their own challenges. Large quantities of small parcels of cargo are carried in security sealed and contained units. Containers are stowed both above deck and in the holds, which can give difficulty in locating the origin and source of the fire.
To summarise, the problems faced include:
• Large open decks with minimal subdivision.
• Limited access and headroom.
• Close-packed stowage of mixed cargo.
• Difficulty identifying EVs vs ICE vehicles.
• Fire blanket (25-40kg) and BA limitations.
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