Transcript
When it comes to global logistics, it seems no news is good news. If a transoceanic journey of goods goes without a hitch, you never hear about it.
But when things go wrong, they can go very wrong – and we’ve seen that play out in several dramatic fires in the past few years that have resulted in high profile tales of doomed cargo ships.
Most recently, an incident involving the cargo carrier Morning Midas led to millions in losses after a fire broke out and the ship sank off the coast of Alaska with more than 3,000 vehicles on board. At issue was concern over the electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and suggestions that the fire broke out on the deck with the EVs.
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And whether or not the electrics caused the fire is one thing; the other is that once lithium-ion batteries catch fire, they can be notoriously difficult to extinguish.
Well, one major player in Pacific cargo transportation has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to this issue.
Matson, Inc. has announced that it is halting shipments of “vehicles powered by large lithium-ion batteries.”
Matson added that it would cease booking these types of shipments “effective immediately” due to “increasing concern” over safety.
Matson is headquartered in Honolulu and is a major shipper of EVs to the Hawaiian islands and Alaska, meaning certain buyers will have fewer options due to the change.
That said, they note that this issue may not be a permanent one.
Matson’s style of storage – where each vehicle is kept in an individual container versus on vast open storage decks – “complicates” fire detection efforts, according to Carscoops. The company said it will continue to support industry efforts “to develop comprehensive standards and procedures to address fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries at sea.”
If its safety requirements can ultimately be met, Matson says it will resume shipments of electrics.
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WEBVTT
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When it comes to global logistics, it seems no
news is good news.
00:04.039 --> 00:07.230
If a transoceanic journey of goods goes without
a hitch,
00:07.440 --> 00:09.590
you never hear about it.
But when things go wrong,
00:09.779 --> 00:12.470
they can go very wrong.
And we've seen that play out in several
00:12.470 --> 00:17.959
dramatic fires in the past few years that have
resulted in high-profile tales of doomed cargo
00:17.959 --> 00:20.799
ships.
Most recently, an incident involving the cargo
00:20.799 --> 00:26.239
carrier Morning Midas led to millions in losses
after a fire broke out and the ship sank.
00:26.406 --> 00:30.187
Off the coast of Alaska with more than 3,000
vehicles on board.
00:30.396 --> 00:35.277
At issue was concern over the electric and
hybrid electric vehicles, and suggestions that
00:35.277 --> 00:40.196
the fire broke out on the deck with the EVs.
And whether or not the electrics caused the
00:40.196 --> 00:44.036
fire is one thing.
The other is that once lithium-ion batteries
00:44.036 --> 00:47.306
catch fire, they can be notoriously difficult
to extinguish.
00:47.556 --> 00:51.957
Well, one major player in Pacific cargo
transportation has drawn a line in the sand
00:51.957 --> 00:54.113
when it comes to this.
Matson Inc.
00:54.183 --> 00:59.604
Has announced that it is halting shipments of
vehicles powered by large lithium-ion batteries.
00:59.833 --> 01:04.594
Matson added that it would cease booking these
types of shipments effective immediately due to
01:04.594 --> 01:06.653
increasing concern over safety.
01:06.874 --> 01:11.554
Matson is headquartered in Honolulu and is a
major shipper of EVs to the Hawaiian Islands in
01:11.554 --> 01:15.723
Alaska, meaning certain buyers will have fewer
options due to the change.
01:15.914 --> 01:19.073
That said, they note that this issue may not be
a permanent one.
01:19.350 --> 01:24.341
Matson's style of storage, where each vehicle
is kept in an individual container versus on
01:24.341 --> 01:27.990
vast open storage decks, complicates fire
detection efforts,
01:28.161 --> 01:31.710
according to Car Scoops.
The company said it will continue to support
01:31.710 --> 01:35.911
industry efforts to develop comprehensive
standards and procedures to address fire risk
01:35.911 --> 01:40.930
posed by lithium-ion batteries at sea.
If its safety requirements can ultimately be
01:40.930 --> 01:45.500
met, Matson says it will resume shipments of
electrics.
01:45.911 --> 01:48.271
I'm Anna Wells, and this is Manufacturing Now.
