Coast Guard Report and Fire Safety Recommendations for Lithium Batteries

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Research & Development Center (RDC) has released a white paper for USCG search and rescue units, USCG Sector response and prevention personnel, National Strike Force members, and other government or commercial response personnel who may interact with lithium-ion battery (LIB) fires in the maritime environment.

In the paper, the RDC consolidates information and statistics from peer-reviewed journals, industry guidance documents, government reports, and classification society databases to introduce maritime LIB use trends, LIB fire and post-fire hazards, and current fire suppression techniques and equipment. RDC also provides safety recommendations for the crews of vessels equipped with or carrying high-capacity LIBs, outlines response considerations for personnel encountering LIB fires, and emphasizes use of adequate personal protective equipment in fire and post-fire scenarios.

The RDC recommends this guidance also be shared with commercial vessels with maritime batteries, and vessels that transport electric vehicles and/or electric micromobility devices such as electric bikes and electric scooters.

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