The problem: The increasing prevalence of lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries being carried on containerships amid rising misdeclarations is a major concern for marine insurers, according to a recent article in the Loadstar.
In a recent Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) report, misdeclared cargo has been implicated in a number of near-miss incidents recently, with false declarations including labeling them as computer parts.
In one case, the US Coast Guard reported a fire produced temperatures “hot enough to create a hole through the metal container’s structure”.
Battery fires are complex enough that land-based fire crews are having to introduce new, and sometimes experimental, measures to fight them.
What they’re saying: “There are more fires emerging from misdeclared cargoes of batteries confirmed as the source,” a representative of marine insurers told The Loadstar. “So it is not speculation to say the problem is increasing.
- There is no limit to the size of ships, so long as the factors to manage risk are proportionately secure.
- Firefighting systems are limited in terms of reaching high up.
- The number of crew on board is limited – lean operations have become the accepted model of ship operations.
The implications are bad for car carriers as well, with increasing numbers of electric cars being transported. It has not been determined whether the presence of Li-Ion battery-powered cars was the cause of the fire on Felicity Ace, but authorities are agreed that it was almost certainly an exacerbating factor.