Joint Hull Committee to issue a new clause covering the use of electronically driven equipment rated at above 100Wh. In recent years there has been a growing number of marine incidents involving lithium battery fires, resulting in the total losses of yachts, superyachts and other craft.
The Joint Hull Committee, founded in 1910, is the oldest Joint Committee. It comprises underwriting representatives from both the Lloyd’s and International Underwriting Association (IUA) company markets. It represents the interests of those who write marine hull business in the London market and it works through a number of sub-committees, principally Navigating Limits and Risk Assessment.
As a condition precedent to Underwriters’ liability in respect of any claim for loss, damage, liability, or expense caused by fire and/or explosion, the following were implemented:
– any lithium battery (whether attached to or detached from electronically driven equipment) shall only be charged in a container;
– the charging of any lithium battery shall be monitored for fire, temperature, smoke, damage and charge status and shall only be performed using charging equipment supplied or approved by the OEM;
– the location where any lithium battery is charged shall be free of any sources of ignition or flammable materials
all OEM guidelines and recommendations in relation to the use, storage, charging and maintenance of any lithium battery shall be complied with.
– any repairs, modifications, alterations to any lithium battery or its charging equipment shall only be performed by the OEM.
– an inventory of all electronically driven equipment shall be kept on board;
– a full risk assessment shall have been carried out in line with the fire safety and storage guidance contained in MGN 681 (M). Any resultant mitigation measures shall be implemented on board and documented in the vessel’s safety management system or safe operating procedures. Crew members shall have been appropriately trained so that they:
* have a full understanding of the fire risks related to lithium batteries;
* have immediate access to and know how to safely use a purpose-designed lithium fire suppression/containment system to extinguish a Lithium Battery fire and/or explosion.
The Joint Hull Committee lithium battery clause has a number of definitions attached to it including:
– “Electronically Driven Equipment” means Tenders and Toys (as defined) containing one or more batteries rated above 100Wh;
– “Tenders” means any watercraft onboard, attached to or towed by the vessel and/or used to transfer any person to or from the vessel;
– “Toys” means any personal watercraft (including but not limited to jet skis, diver propulsion units, foils, paddleboards or other water sports equipment), aerial vehicles (drones), bikes, skateboards, segways, unicycles and any other form of transport;
– “Lithium Battery” means a lithium battery rated above 100Wh used to power Electronically Driven Equipment;
– “OEM” means the original equipment manufacturer of the Electronically Driven Equipment or a company approved and/or licensed by the original equipment manufacturer.