Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority has issued a domestic commercial vessel safety alert on the risks of ferrying battery powered cars (EVs), download it here. Each ferry operator must conduct a risk assessment for their vessel to ensure that they are capable of dealing with potential EV fires. They list the risks of carrying EVs as follows:

– High voltage shocks
– Direct jet flames
– Fires develop in intensity quickly and rapidly reach their maximum intensity (typically within 2-3 minutes)
– Toxic gases as explosion (if the released gas accumulates for a while before being ignited)
– Long lasting re-ignition risk (can ignite or re-ignite weeks, or maybe months after the provoking incident)
– Once established fires are difficult to stop/extinguish
– Thermal runaway

They go on to add that EVs are approximately 25% heavier than vehicles with internal combustion engines. This should be considered when placing the vehicles on the ferry or ship to minimize the potential impact on vessel stability.