With lithium-ion batteries becoming increasingly popular due to the weight and power advantages, an increase in the number and volume of shipments is certain. Coupled with the fact that they are mass produced in the Far East and so have to be transported around the world, a TT Club report cautions that they should be stored carefully.
The batteries, which are packing greater energy density every year, can self-heat with prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The Club’s report warns of potential “thermal runaway”, when one battery ruptured by overheating causes those around it to do the same.
“There have already been some fires on container ships involving lithium-ion batteries in modest quantities,” says the report. It also states that limiting the size of shipments might be “prudent…until industry experience builds.”
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