NEWS
The big picture – views on the current state of awareness in maritime
Campaigns |Published: Oct 25, 2024

The first panel discussion at the Electric Vehicle (EV) maritime safety conference covered views on the current state of awareness of EV risks in maritime. The panel gave insights into the work that had taken place so far to understand the risks of EV in their specialist areas: global regulation, insurance risk prevention, naval architecture, harbour masters and UK shipping.
Richard Steel, CEO of ICHCA gave a short presentation at the start of the panel to outline the progress the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made in understanding the risks of EV and lithium-ion batteries.
Richard explained that two groups were working on EV-related issues: The carriage of cargoes and containers subcommittee, and the ship systems and equipment subcommittee. One looks at the IMDG code and the other around developing changes to SOLAS and the International Fire Safety Code. He emphasised the importance of industry collaboration and the development of training and familiarisation programs for first responders to improve emergency preparedness and response capabilities across the maritime sector.
Neil Dalus, Risk Assessment Manager for TT Club’s Loss Prevention Team, highlighted the key concerns from their members when it comes to the transport of EVs. These included crisis management and emergency response protocols, the need for specialised first aid equipment and training, charging infrastructure requirements, and the challenges of handling damaged or used EVs. Neil called also stressed that collaboration would be really important and called on the industry to work together to develop standardised best practices and guidance. He pointed to the conference itself as a great step in bringing everyone together to understand the risks and limitations of the key stakeholders in any emergency response.
Martin Carlsson, a naval architect working for Stena Teknik provided an overview of the research and development work being done in the maritime industry to address the safety challenges posed by EVs onboard vessels. He highlighted various projects and initiatives, including full-scale testing of fixed fire suppression systems, development and evaluation of manual firefighting methods, and the creation of specialized tools and equipment for use in confined spaces. Martin noted the need to continue improving detection capabilities, understanding battery aging impacts, and enhancing crew training to effectively manage EV-related incidents at sea and in ports.
As Harbour Master for The Bristol Port Company, Stephen provided his perspective on managing the risks of EV incidents. He acknowledged that while ports are experienced in dealing with various risks and emergencies, EVs represent a new challenge that requires careful planning and preparation. Stephen spoke about the work the port had undertaken to work with the Fire and Rescue Service, to develop comprehensive port emergency plans, response protocols, and understand what equipment was available to deal cars in peril. He also stressed the important of balancing other priorities like environmental considerations and stakeholder requirements. Stephen echoed previous comments about the need for collaboration and training.
The final panel member was Robert Merrylees from the UK Chamber of Shipping. He spoke about the Chamber’s work to address the safety challenges of transporting EVs and other lithium-ion battery-powered equipment such as bikes and mobility scooters, particularly on ferries and cruise ships. He acknowledged the need for the industry to work collaboratively to manage the associated risks and develop sector-wide guidance, training and response capabilities.