3rd shipping line halts carriage of EVs, hybrids over fire risks

CALAPAN CITY — Starhorse Shipping Lines Inc. has become the third shipping line to suspend the carriage of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), citing safety concerns following the Sept. 9 fire on a boat bound for Palawan.

In a Sept. 18 advisory, Starhorse President Vincent Dominic Reyes said the suspension would take effect immediately and remain in place until further notice as a precautionary measure to protect passengers, crew and vessels during inter-island travel.

The shipping line said lithium batteries used in EVs and hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, pose risks such as thermal runaway, which can result in fires that are difficult to contain.

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Starhorse said existing firefighting systems and vessel arrangements used in domestic roll-on/roll-off (RORO) operations were not yet fully equipped to address the specific hazards associated with such batteries.

It also cited the absence of clear national standards governing the carriage of EVs and HEVs aboard domestic vessels.

The suspension covers fully electric and hybrid passenger vehicles and rolling cargo, including cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and trucks.

Under the advisory, ticketing, cargo and loading personnel were instructed to identify vehicle types before boarding. Motorists are also required to declare whether their vehicles are electric or hybrid when purchasing tickets.

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Vessel masters were likewise directed to refuse entry to EVs and HEVs.

Starhorse operates routes from Lucena to Balanacan in Marinduque and to the Romblon islands of Banton, Simara, San Agustin, Romblon and Sibuyan, as well as to Masbate.

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It also plies the Batangas-Calapan and Batangas-Abra de Ilog routes, the Real-Polillo route in Quezon and routes from San Andres, Quezon, to San Pascual and Pasacao.

Starhorse said the policy was a temporary safety measure and should not be viewed as a judgment against electric-powered vehicles.

The company said it would review the suspension once the Maritime Industry Authority and Department of Energy issue clear regulatory guidance on the carriage of EVs and HEVs, and after shipboard safety arrangements can meet applicable standards.

The restrictions followed the Sept. 9 fire aboard M/V June Aster, which caught fire at sea while traveling from Batangas to Coron, Palawan, killing at least 77 people.

Initial investigation indicated that an EV on board might have caused the fire and explosion.

Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc., which operates 59 vessels, fastcrafts and passenger fleets across the country, was the first of the three to issue such a directive, circulating its memorandum on Sept. 16.

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Island Water followed on Sept. 17, when Shogun Ships Co. Inc., its operator, ordered an immediate ban on hybrid and fully electric vehicles across its passenger ships. /mr /dm