S-TRUST

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Report: Fire caused by thermal runaway of cells in a lithium-ion battery of handheld radio

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released an investigation report into the blaze on the bridge of the 'S-Trust' on Nov 13, 2022, about 3.30 p.m. LT at the Genesis Port Allen Terminal in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fire teams from the vessel’s crew extinguished the fire about 3.50 p.m. The damage to the vessel was estimated at $3 million. Investigators found the remains of three batteries (one nickel-metal hydride and two lithium-ion) on the communications table. The single nickel-metal hydride battery (all of its six cells) was intact; one of the lithium-ion batteries (both cells) was found intact in the remains of the chargers (one nickel-metal hydride charger and one lithium-ion charger). Investigators only found components of the second lithium-ion battery (a two-cell battery). Lithium-ion battery cell explosions are typically caused by a thermal runaway; as such, the initial orange flash and puff of smoke on the video feed was likely the result of one of the missing lithium-ion cells exploding due to a thermal runaway. The heat produced from a thermal runaway of a lithium-ion battery cell can exceed 1,100° F, which can easily cause any nearby combustible material to ignite, including adjoining cells of the same battery. As the fire expanded, the closed-circuit video captured a second flash, followed by a flaming object being propelled from the fire and landing on the deck of the bridge, where it continued to burn. This was most likely the other missing lithium-ion cell from the same battery. Based on the video, investigators determined that the second missing lithium-ion cell also experienced a thermal runaway, most likely initiated from the heat of the fire started by the initial battery cell thermal runaway. The investigators could not examine the first cell that exploded to determine the exact cause of the initial thermal runaway. Once the vessel was docked at the terminal and cargo operations began, the bridge watch ended, so no one was stationed on the bridge at the time the fire started. The first indication the crew had of a possible fire aboard was the loss of the closed-circuit camera feed to the monitor in the master’s office. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the fire on the bridge of the 'S-Trust' was the thermal runaway of one of the cells in a lithium-ion battery for a UHF handheld radio. Report with photos: https://splash247.com/how-one-handheld-radio-ripped-a-ships-bridge-apart/

Crew member jumped over board and was rescued

On May 9, 2021, a 31 year old Georgian sailor jumped from the 'Kanpur' which was anchored off Beaumaris. He was found clinging to a navigational markerfive kilometres from shore in Port Phillip Bay. He was rescued by water police about 8 p.m. He was pulled from the water and taken to Williamstown where he was medically assessed. Officers from the Australian Border Force and Department of Health accompanied him to hospital and he was expected to be transferred to hotel quarantine on May 11 under the care of the state Health Department, as the authorities prepared to inspect the ship once it has docked on May 12. Representatives of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Border Force, Department of Health and Human Services Victoria, and the ITF will undertake the inspection and interview crew membersThe officers who dealt with the man were sent into isolation. The International Transport Workers’ Federation was working with relevant authorities to determine why the man jumped overboard, and what support he and the rest of the crew required. The ITF was also in discussions with the vessel manager, Cyprus-based Columbia Ship Management, along with the Latvian union affiliate, which has a collective agreement covering the vessel’s crew. The tanker has been in Port Phillip Bay since May 2 and before it berthed in Marsden Point and Mina af Ahmadi. Report with photos: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/victoria/georgian-national-rescued-in-port-phillip-bay-after-jumping-from-ship-20210511-p57qpu.html