Erhvervsudvalget 2022-23 (2. samling)
ERU Alm.del Bilag 230
Offentligt
2737008_0001.png
Dept
FCCS Consult
Origin date
29-07-2023
Issue date
01-08-2023
Page
1(2)
Document Id
1019-011-2023 Sikkerhed - El-Biler Spørgsmål til
Erhvervsministeren om
Pyroteknisk batterier Bilag 1
K Line reveals close to
500 electric vehicles on
fire-ravaged car carrier
Fremantle Highway
1
By
Adam Corbett
UPDATED 31 July 2023 10:28 GMT
A thermal imaging photograph shows the fire
on the Panamanian-registered Fremantle
Highway, off the northern Dutch island of
Ameland. Photo: Scanpix
The number of electric cars is higher than first
thought and could explain the North Sea
casualty.
2
K Line, the operator of the car carrier
involved in a serious North Sea fire casualty,
has revealed there were 498 electric vehicles
(EVs) on board.
The figure is far higher than first estimated
and appears to raise the likelihood that a
lithium-ion battery in an EV either caused the
blaze on the 6,210-ceu Fremantle Highway
(built 2013) or added to its severity.
Fremantle Highway blaze: Desperate crew jumped
overboard to escape car carrier inferno
According to K Line, there were 3,783
vehicles on board, all of them new, including
#2
Death reported from fire on Shoei Kisen car carrier in
the North Sea
26 July 2023 9:17
#3
Fire burns a hole in shipping’s $9.2bn insurance
claims bill
22 November 2022 12:12
K Line reveals close to 500 electric vehicles on fire-
ravaged car carrier Fremantle Highway | TradeWinds
(tradewindsnews.com)
2
Related Link
#1
Video: Netherlands Coastguard struggles to contain
North Sea car carrier blaze
26 July 2023 15:07
1
v/ Bjarne Engelbrecht Larsen
Kampmannsvej 2, Sanddal, 7000 Fredericia
Mobile +45 4062 6213 • E-mail:
[email protected]
Side 1 af 2
 ERU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 230: Henvendelse af 2/8-23 vedrørende Sikkerhedsstyrelsens kontrol med batterier til elbiler mv, fra Bjarne Engelbrecht Larsen, Fredericia
2737008_0002.png
Dept
FCCS Consult
Origin date
29-07-2023
Issue date
01-08-2023
Page
2(2)
Document Id
1019-011-2023 Sikkerhed - El-Biler Spørgsmål til
Erhvervsministeren om
Pyroteknisk batterier Bilag 1
the 498 EVs. The consignment, loaded in
Germany, was heading to the Far East via the
Suez Canal.
The ship was originally thought to be
transporting only 25 EVs.
The fire broke out off the coast of the
Netherlands this week, leading to the full
evacuation of the crew and the death of one
seafarer. The vessel remains on fire but is
under tow and has been taken outside the
main shipping lanes.
According to Reuters, Dutch broadcaster RTL
has released a transcript of an emergency
responder to the incident saying that “the fire
started in the battery of an electric car”.
The Netherlands Coastguard has insisted that
the cause of the accident remains unknown.
Allianz Commercial released a report this
week highlighting the growing risk of fire,
indicating that 64 ships have been lost to
fires in the past five years.
It pointed out that the rapid growth in
the seaborne transportation of lithium-
ion batteries independently, or in EVs, is
an increasing safety concern.
“The main hazards are fire, explosion
and ‘thermal runaway’, a rapid self-
heating fire that can cause an
explosion,” said Captain Rahul Khanna,
commenting on lithium-ion battery
transportation.
Initiatives such as LASH FIRE are attempting
to reduce the risk of fires related to the
carriage of lithium-ion batteries.
The Fremantle Highway, insured by the Japan P&I
Club, caught fire in the North Sea. Photo:
Netherlands Coastguard
Rich McLoughlin, head of maritime
engagement at Lloyd’s Register, said lithium-
ion battery fires are a big safety worry for
shipping as a potential risk and in terms of
emergency response procedures.
“Although industry initiatives
such as LASH
FIRE have identified measures to respond to
lithium-ion battery fires, the rapid onset of
thermal runaway, the associated chemical fire
and the potential ignition of explosive gasses
—
off-gassing
—
caused by either battery cell
breakdown, failure of the battery
management system,
BMS
or impact damage
to the battery has, like any fire on board, the
potential for serious consequence,” he said.
Smit and Multraship appointed as salvors in
Fremantle Highway fire
One important concern is the ability of ships’
staff to respond in time to prevent fire
spreading.
Major technology changes will be required to
reduce the risk, McLoughlin said.
“Until the industry has either improved
alternative battery technologies, greater
screening and checks on potential
mis/non-declared goods, or a better
understanding of the
stability/degradation of lithium-ion
battery cells over time, these concerns
will continue,”
he said.
v/ Bjarne Engelbrecht Larsen
Kampmannsvej 2, Sanddal, 7000 Fredericia
Mobile +45 4062 6213 • E-mail:
[email protected]
Side 2 af 2