gCaptain Article: Improperly Secured Lithium-Ion Battery Cargo Nearly Dooms Ship in the Pacific, NTSB Finds
Improperly secured lithium-ion battery cargo and heavy weather triggered two fires aboard the bulk carrier Genius Star XI on Christmas Day 2023, causing $3.8 million in damage and underscoring mounting safety concerns over seaborne transport of large battery systems, according to a new NTSB report. The 410-foot vessel was carrying 192 battery energy storage system (BESS) units when lashing belt failures allowed 41 units to shift in 19-foot seas near the Bering Sea, damaging internal structures and driving three units into thermal runaway. Investigators found a critical incompatibility between lashing hooks and D-rings that prevented proper seating and concentrated loads at the hook bend, leading to fractures and failure of the securing system. The crew flooded cargo hold No. 1 with all 153 CO₂ cylinders, then diverted toward Dutch Harbor, but a second fire broke out in cargo hold No. 2 three days later, forcing the crew to rely on boundary cooling with seawater. While the ship reached Dutch Harbor safely and no injuries or pollution were reported, the NTSB concluded that inadequate inspection and verification of the lashing system allowed the defective arrangement to go undetected, despite its previous use on five similar voyages. The incident highlights the urgent need for rigorous cargo securing practices and equipment compatibility checks when transporting large stationary lithium-ion battery units at sea.
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Original Article from gCaptain | Written by Mike Schuler
