• Home
  • Insights
  • Lithium-ion batteries - The writing on the wall (Part one)

10 May 2023

Lithium-ion batteries - The writing on the wall (Part one)

Linkedin

Eloquent and timely are the words of a leading academic who concludes in no uncertain terms that "Micromobility devices [incorporating lithium-ion batteries] should NOT be charged or stored indoors."1

That, in the domestic setting. Translate to the marine setting, and it begs the question: are alarm bells not ringing for owners of yachts, their managers, their crews, marina owners, the financing banks, the yards, the manufacturers in the yacht sector, to say nothing of the original manufacturers of the batteries who may feel they can hide away behind the scenes at the end of complex supply chain contracts, and the insurers of all of the above? We unhesitatingly say "yes, they should be"; and we should know, having experience of one of the most significant reported yacht fires involving batteries and having followed the topic now for some years. The uptick in attention on the topic is consistent with that view. Yes, there is much armchair commentary and misconception surrounding the topic, but that by no means diminishes the real issues that are known and pressing.

Click here to read more.

1 Prof Paul Christensen (Pure & Applied Electrochem, Newcastle University, from his 160+ page presentation as part of the 2022 knowledge event series – Operations response and lithium-ion batteries.

Linkedin

KEY CONTACT

Alex Davis

Alex Davis
Practice group leader

T:  +44 20 7809 2671 M:  Email Alex | Vcard Office:  London

Richard Hugg

Richard Hugg
Partner

T:  +44 20 7809 2199 M:  +44 7825 848 156 Email Richard | Vcard Office:  London