The Cosco Pacific boxship is a huge container vessel with capacity for 10,000 shipping containers 20 feet long. Each of these can accommodate as many as 9 to 11 shipping palettes stacked 9 feet high with freight. The overall length from bow to stern is 1145 feet according to Vessel Finder and the beam is 150 feet wide.
How a Lithium Battery Fire Broke Out on Cosco Pacific
Cosco Pacific should take a lithium battery fire with ease, because of its suppression systems and sheer size. However, these things should not happen in the first place. Vessel Finder reports the fire started in a container while the vessel on the way from Nhava Sheva, India from Port Klang in Malaysia.
However, the giant box ship had to divert to Colombo after the crew successfully contained the fire. Cosco company asked its customers to own up if they falsely declared any cargo they loaded on the ship. It’s impossible to open 10,000 containers, and unpack and inspect 90,000 to 110,000 pallets in an industry of this size.
Does This Put Lithium Battery Shipping Under Threat?
We very much doubt that, although the FAA has put air-shipping lithium batteries under lock-down for a while. The product is just too ubiquitous to embargo. The boxship owner has found the offending container loaded from another shipping line. And apparently they may have declared the contents as spare parts and accessories.
Cosco’s policy says dangerous goods must be declared and placed at the container door for easy removal, and have a safety certificate too. Clearly, this may not have occurred in this instance. Sheer volumes require shippers to self-police.
However, clampdowns on rogue lithium battery makers will continue to tempt smugglers to put mega boxships like Cosco Pacific at risk, and they must remain on alert.
Related
A Lithium Battery Warning Needing Attention
Rogue Lithium Battery Crack Down By Carriers
Preview Image: Cosco Pacific (Marine Finder)
Video Share Link: https://youtu.be/uGdEmROQ0OI
