Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) is advocating for clearer safety regulations to enhance maritime electrification technologies, as highlighted in its report, Maritime Electrification: Maritime Battery Systems and Onshore Power Supply. This report emphasizes how Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Onshore Power Supply (OPS) solutions play crucial roles in maritime decarbonization efforts.
While OPS benefits from established international standards, battery systems, particularly lithium-ion (Li-ion) technologies, face regulatory gaps that raise security concerns. Incidents of thermal runaway—rapid temperature spikes that can lead to fires—pose significant risks to crew safety. Despite the increasing deployment of ESS globally, existing safety instructions remain fragmented and inadequate.
BV aims to address these regulatory deficiencies by establishing technical rules, such as BV No.467, which outlines requirements for marine batteries. The report highlights the potential of battery-powered ships and OPS systems, with over 1,000 battery-operated vessels currently in use. The EU is also emphasizing OPS, mandating its use for container and passenger ships starting in 2030.
As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) pushes for ambitious emission reduction goals by 2040, electrification is gaining recognition as a practical, low-emission solution. However, enhanced international standards are essential to ensure the safe and effective integration of Li-ion technologies in the maritime industry.
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