Battery concerns disrupt FVL
Pacific shipper Matson halts transport of EVs over fire safety concerns
Matson is pausing EV and LFP battery shipments while it assesses risk mitigation strategies, following a series of maritime fire incidents involving EVs.
Transportation services company Matson has suspended shipments of electric vehicles (EVs) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries – a subtype of lithium-ion battery chemistry commonly used in EVs – over concerns related to fire risks during transit.
In a letter released to customers earlier this week, the company stated the suspension was “due to increasing concern for the safety of transporting vehicles powered by large LFP batteries.”
Matson operates along the West Coast of the US and across the Pacific, providing vehicle transportation to locations including Hawaii, Alaska, Guam and Micronesia. It also operates shipping services from China to Southern California, with a fleet that includes dedicated ro-ro vessels.
The suspension applies to all routes and includes both new and used EVs, plug-in hybrids and standalone LFP batteries.
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Fires involving LFP batteries require different handling precautions than those involving ICE-related fires. One of the primary concerns is thermal runaway – an increase in battery temperature that changes the composition of the battery, causing a chemical reaction that can potentially lead to short-circuits and the release of more heat. This condition can make such fires difficult to control and increase the risk of reignition.
Matson previously established an Electric Vehicle Safe Carriage Working Group to address challenges associated with battery shipments. Measures introduced included increased review processes and battery shipment checklists, especially at vehicle terminals. Onboard vessels, the company implemented stowage protocols, thermal detection tools and firefighting equipment.
According to the letter, shipments may resume once sufficient risk mitigation standards and strategies are in place. Matson stated it “plans to resume acceptance of [EVs] when appropriate safety solutions that meet our requirements can be implemented.”
Recent shipping incidents involving EVs
Concerns surrounding the maritime transport of EVs have increased following serval recent vessel fires. Earlier this year, a pure car and truck carrier chartered by SAIC Anji Logistics, Morning Midas, sank after a fire reportedly started on a deck carrying EVs. The crew was evacuated, and the vessel, which carried approximately 3,000 vehicles – including 681 hybrid EVs and 70 pure EVs – was lost. A cause has not been formally confirmed.
In 2023, the Fremantle Highway caught fire in the North Sea after departing Bremerhaven Port. The fire was extinguished, and the ship was later towed to safety. The vessel was carrying EVs, but authorities did not attribute the cause of the fire to those vehicles.
The 2022 incident involving the Felicity Ace saw the ship sink two weeks after a fire broke out onboard. The vessel was carrying around 4,000 vehicles from various Volkswagen Group brands. At the time, reports suggested that lithium-ion batteries may have contributed to the severity of the fire, although the exact cause was not officially confirmed.
