Capability and preparedness
This guidance provides practical insight into how battery electric vehicle (BEV) fires may differ from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle fires on RoPax ferries, particularly regarding battery thermal runaway and vapour cloud explosions (VCE). It is intended to support both operational and command‑level decision‑making by identifying EV‑specific hazards, behaviours, and uncertainties, and by integrating these considerations into existing shipboard fire‑response frameworks.
EV fire risk is different, but not inherently higher. However, unfamiliarity with EV fire behaviour can significantly increase the consequences of an incident if these characteristics are not properly understood and anticipated.
This document does not replace SOLAS requirements, Flag State instructions, Class rules, or Company Safety Management System (SMS) procedures. Instead, it clarifies where EV‑specific behaviour may require adjustments to assumptions, thresholds, and timelines, while operating fully within established regulatory and organisational processes.
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