Mar 15, 2022 21:00:00

A waste battery broke out in a container bound for China, a bubbly catastrophe and the Coast Guard

On March 4, 2022, it was discovered that a shipping container loaded with used lithium-ion batteries bound for China had caught fire at a port facility in San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles, California. Investigation revealed that the contents of the container were registered as synthetic resin rather than the dangerous goods battery. In the United States, a battery fire just broke out in 2021 in a container destined for China that was improperly registered as a cargo.

USCG Reports Another Fire in a Misdeclared Box of Scrapped Batteries

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/uscg-reports-another-fire-in-a-misdeclared-box-of-scrapped-batteries

Coast Guard to Inspect Cargo After Fire in Port of LA – NBC Los Angeles
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/coast-guard-to-search-cargo-containers-after-fire-in-port-of-la-mislabeled-bill-of-lading/2847406/

'Potentially Catasrophic'-Container Loaded with Discarded Lithium Batteries Catches Fire Enroute to Port
https://gcaptain.com/container-lithium-battery-fire/

On March 4, the Port Guard, which has jurisdiction over the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, was informed that a container for transportation was burning at a complex port facility in San Pedro Bay. Immediately, 40 firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department rushed to the site to respond, but the bill of lading for the container stated that there was no danger of 'synthetic resin,' so fire extinguishing activities were difficult. Subsequent investigations revealed that the cargo was a used lithium-ion battery rather than a synthetic resin, and that the cause of the fire was the rise in battery temperature.

The container was due to be shipped to China on March 10th and wasn't a big deal as it hadn't set sail yet. However, the Coast Guard, which took seriously the accident, announced on March 14 that it would suspend the transportation of cargo until inspections confirmed that all cargo complied with safety regulations.

On March 10, the Coast Guard released a (PDF file)

report of the container fire that occurred on August 19, 2021, and issued 'Safety Alert 01-22,' which is safety information regarding cargo fires. I did. According to the report, the accident caused a container to be loaded on a cargo ship departing from Raleigh, North Carolina to China, to burn on the highway, causing great damage to the cargo and container.

Even in this accident, it has been reported that the fire was difficult to extinguish because the used lithium-ion batteries in the cargo were registered as 'PC parts' instead of dangerous goods. Accident investigations revealed that the fire was so intense that it pierced a metal container, which could be catastrophic if the fire broke out after the container was loaded onto the ship. Shipping authorities pointed out. In fact, in February 2022, a fire caused the sinking of Felicity Ace , a carrier that is transporting electric vehicles using lithium-ion batteries.

Following the accident, Coast Guard Los Angeles Long Beach Port Director Colonel Rebecca Ole said, 'Undeclared dangerous goods pose a serious risk to the safety of cargo ships, ports and first responders involved in firefighting activities. Coast Guard Has decided to ask all shippers to cooperate and ensure that the dangerous goods are properly labeled and packaged for safe transport. '