Operational guide · Safety & equipment

Fire Safety of Onboard Battery Rooms (BESS)

BESS response follows the approved emergency plan and installed design: alarm, segregation only as designed, ventilation control and approved fixed suppression/cooling from a safe position; no entry until explosion/toxic risk is assessed and authorised.

BESSbattery roomthermal runawayhybrid electric

Operational Explanation

Regulatory Reference

Approved flag/class design and SMS; EMSA BESS Guidance is non-mandatory; SOLAS II-2/17 only where it is the actual alternative-design route.

Scope of Application

Training, familiarisation and drills to the extent required by approved design, risk assessment, flag/class and SMS; not automatically every drill for every hybrid ship.

Procedure / How to Complete It

From a safe position raise alarm and identify the event.
Stop/segregate only as designed.
Control ventilation and activate the approved fixed strategy.
Do not generically apply water or electrical isolation.
Prohibit entry until explosion/toxic-atmosphere risk is assessed and entry authorised.
Integrate hazards into training/drills under the approved regime.

Practical Example

The plan may use water-based, inerting or combined means: the team uses the installed system and does not enter merely because visible flame has ceased.

What Typically Goes Wrong

Imposing massive and prolonged cooling, improvising isolation/water, entering before risk clearance, or treating EMSA/drills as universally mandatory.

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake	Consequence	How to Avoid It
Imposing massive and prolonged cooling, improvising isolation/water, entering before risk clearance, or treating EMSA/drills as universally mandatory.	Non-compliant decision or treatment	Follow the approved arrangement and applicable sources

What the PSCO Checks

Evidence of the approved arrangement, procedures, records, competence, defect management and consistency with statutory/class/maker requirements.

Operational Tips

Separate current requirement, class/maker, SMS and voluntary guidance.
Do not improvise tests, thresholds or intervals.
Record deviations and corrective action.

Preparation checklist

Approved response plan
Remote safe controls
Ventilation/suppression design
Explosion/toxic entry gate
Approved training scope
EMSA non-mandatory

FAQ

Is water always the response?

No. Follow the approved design and strategy.

When may personnel enter?

Only after explosion/toxic risk assessment and authorisation.

Is EMSA mandatory?

It is non-mandatory guidance; requirements follow the applicable arrangement.

Fire Safety of Onboard Battery Rooms (BESS)

Operational Explanation

Regulatory Reference

Scope of Application

Procedure / How to Complete It

Practical Example

What Typically Goes Wrong

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

What the PSCO Checks

Operational Tips

Preparation checklist

FAQ

Related Topics