The maritime industry is facing a rapidly changing fire risk on board vessels as electric vehicles and lithium-ion battery-powered equipment become increasingly common, according to UK-based consultancy and maritime training providers, Stream Marine Technical.

From electric vehicles carried as cargo to phones, laptops, tablets, battery banks, portable tools, ship systems and crew personal effects, lithium-ion batteries are now present throughout the maritime operating environment. This wider risk profile means battery fire awareness is no longer only a cargo issue, but a broader operational safety concern.

Unlike many conventional fire risks, lithium-ion battery incidents can escalate quickly, behave unpredictably and require a different approach to detection, intervention, firefighting and post-incident recovery. Recognising the early signs of battery failure, understanding thermal runaway, and knowing when and how to respond are becoming essential safety considerations for the sector.

These issues will be examined in a forthcoming webinar, EV Fires Afloat: What Every Ship Operator Must Know, taking place on 3 July at 11:00am. The webinar will bring together maritime safety, training and industry specialists to discuss why battery fire awareness training must evolve in line with the growing carriage of electric vehicles and lithium-ion battery-powered equipment at sea.

Specialist firefighting equipment will also be referenced during the webinar, including the Ceasefire MultiMax L-ion extinguisher as one example of products now entering the market for these types of incidents. The MultiMax L-ion is suitable for Class A, B, F, electrical and lithium-ion battery fires, providing a cooling effect alongside a specialist agent designed to address the lithium-ion battery element of the fire.

“Battery fire risk at sea is changing quickly, and the industry’s awareness and preparedness need to change with it. Lithium-ion battery fires are not simply an EV issue. These batteries are now found throughout vessels, from cargo and ship systems to crew devices and portable equipment. As a result, training, early recognition and the right response procedures are critical”, says Katy Womersley, Managing Director at Stream Marine Training.