How safe are lithium batteries on boats? That is a question that is becoming increasingly important as more and more builders around the world are using lithium-ion batteries to power solar/electric vessels, and as more and more boat owners and guests are bringing small lithium-powered devices on board.
A symposium of marine industry experts recently met in the UK to try to find some answers, and to judge the fire risk that lithium-ion batteries pose on boats big and small. Their conclusions, as reported in Motor Boat & Yachting, the British publication: The technology is safe, but the risks increase with the batteries’ misuse and the use of some accessories. And owners of both large and small vessels need to be more aware of how to prevent, and fight, fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
A series of yacht fires caused by overheating lithium-ion batteries recently brought the issue to the fore. Indeed, there have been at least 20 in the past 18 months on larger yachts, including some fires that were catastrophic.
The recent meeting was called by Soosmiths, the marine law specialists, and was moderated by Elliot Bishop, who heads their litigation group. It included representatives from Lloyd’s Register, Pantaenius Insurance, the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, and others.
Bishop started with a review of the size of the lithium-ion battery boating market. He cited one study that said it would grow from $100 million today to $1.4 billion by 2030. It reported that more electric boats would be sold this year than had been sold in all previous years combined.
For the future, The International Maritime Organization has set a net-zero emissions timetable for 2050, but some parts of the recreational boating industry are shifting toward that goal faster than had been anticipated.
The meeting concluded that boat owners need to follow manufacturers’ guidance for installing and maintaining lithium batteries, and that devices should not be left on charge when no one is on board the yacht. And no one on board should use uncertified equipment or substandard adaptors and chargers for cell phones and tablets.
It also said there’s a need to educate owners and guests, particularly on smaller boats, about the fire hazards involved with lithium batteries. Actually, superyachts have not reported as many fires from lithium-powered devices, proportionally, as have been reported by owners of smaller boats. The meeting said that crew and owners of larger yachts are more aware of safety issues involved. In fact, among the 2,200 superyachts flagged in the Cayman Islands, there was just one lithium-related fire in 2021 and one in 2022.
The report said that crews on large yachts are used to dealing with fire prevention and training. Actually, the gasoline that superyachts carry for their tenders and toys poses a greater fire hazard than lithium batteries, but gas fires are very rare. Read more:
https://www.mby.com/news/boating-industry-panel-lithium-ion-batteries-safety-125897
