Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has filed a lawsuit against a logistics company following a serious fire onboard one of its container ships. According to the claim, the incident was caused by used electric vehicles that were allegedly packed and secured in an unsafe manner inside shipping containers.
The fire occurred during a voyage when one of the containers carrying electric vehicles reportedly caught fire. MSC believes that the wooden support structure inside the container failed during the voyage, allowing one vehicle to fall onto another and potentially damage a lithium-ion battery, which may have triggered the fire.
The crew responded quickly and successfully extinguished the blaze before it spread further throughout the vessel. However, several nearby containers were damaged by the fire and by water used during firefighting operations. The ship was forced to divert to a port in Mexico, where the damaged containers were unloaded, inspected and repacked before the voyage could continue.
MSC is seeking compensation for the financial losses resulting from the incident. The company argues that cargo owners and freight forwarders must be held responsible when dangerous cargo is improperly packed or handled, especially when it involves lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.
The case once again highlights one of the biggest safety challenges facing modern container shipping. As global transportation of electric vehicles continues to increase, proper cargo preparation, packaging and compliance with international dangerous goods regulations are becoming more important than ever. Improperly packed cargo can put seafarers, vessels and the marine environment at significant risk.
