Maritime Shipping Companies Now Refusing To Ship EVs

Several ship fires started by electric vehicles onboard have made shipping companies reconsider their policies. Alaska Marine Lines is the latest to ban EVs and PHEVs onboard ships. The company cited increased fire risk associated with "shipping large lithium-ion batteries on vessels at sea."

 

Statistics consistently show EVs are less likely to catch fire than combustion-engine vehicles. While this is well known, Li-ion battery fires are indeed more dangerous because they are notoriously difficult to extinguish. When a battery fire occurs at sea, the danger is much higher because there are limited firefighting capabilities onboard a ship.