From Ship to Shore: Addressing Lithium-Ion Battery Hazards in Maritime Logistics
As the maritime industry accelerates toward electrification, ensuring the safe integration of lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology has never been more critical. With increasing demand and limited safety regulations, proactive risk management, system-wide assessments, and lessons from past incidents are key to reducing hazards and building operational resilience across ports and vessels. Is your organization ready to address the growing risks of lithium-ion batteries?
Introduction
Catastrophic failures of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries will likely increase in frequency as Li-ion technology continues to expand. Lithium-ion batteries are often the main source of energy storage in electric and hybrid powered vehicles. Several recent incidents in the maritime industry have highlighted the need for interim guidance and safety risk assessments for all lifecycle phases of Li-ion batteries being stored, or used, during port operations.
Some noteworthy examples are listed below:
- In June 2025, the Morning Midas caught fire. The 600-foot ship was carrying 70 electric vehicles (EVs), 681 hybrids, and more than 2,000 internal combustion engine vehicles. The fire burned for multiple weeks before the ship eventually sank in the Pacific Ocean. The incident resulted in a complete loss of the ship and all cargo onboard.
- In July 2023, the Fremantle Highway, a 650-foot ship carrying 3,783 cars including approximately 500 electric vehicles was traveling in the North Sea. A fire broke out which resulted in crew members jumping overboard. One crew member died as a result of injuries sustained from the jump, while 16 others received non-life-threatening injuries.
- In February 2022, the Felicity Ace, was a 656 ft shipping vessel, carrying 3,965 vehicles including many EVs. It caught fire, requiring the entire crew to evacuate. The ship burned for more than two weeks before sinking along with all its contents.
- The United States Coast Guard issued Marine Safety Alert 14-25 on July 14, 2025, regarding Li-ion Battery System Installations. According to this release, an integrated Li-ion battery bank caught fire onboard an inspected passenger vessel when loosely crimped lugs overheated.
In response to the increase in Li-ion battery incidents, in July and August 2025, respectively, the shipping container companies Matson, and Alaska Marine Lines suspended shipment of EVs specifically citing fire concerns. They joined a growing number of shipping lines, including Havila Kystruten, which have recently banned the transport of EVs.
Legislation and published codes often lag behind innovation. Very few regulations or standardized guidance documents exist for the proper handling of Li-ion vehicles and consumer electronics. While Li-ion batteries are often manufactured to meet minimum safety standards, recurring hazards due to handling, transport and charging increase the likelihood of catastrophic failures. End-of-life hazards associated with Li-ion batteries are also increasing and require guidance and regulation. E-waste transport faces the same scrutiny as EV transport and many shipping providers are refusing to carry e-waste.
Conducting a thorough risk assessment and applying lessons learned from past failures can help reduce risks until the gap in oversight is resolved. For accuracy and proper allocation of resources to implement mitigation strategies, it is imperative that knowledgeable safety engineers lead the risk assessment process.
Conclusion
The number of catastrophic failures of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is expected to increase as Li-ion technology continues to expand and global demand for electrified systems grows. Current prescriptive safety requirements for Li-ion batteries in maritime and port operations are lacking or do not exist. Conducting systematic, facility-wide, risk assessment and applying lessons learned from past failures will help reduce risks until the gap in oversight is resolved.
