Norwegian shipping company to ban transport of electrified vehicles

Norwegian shipping company, Havila Krystruten, has imposed a ban on transporting electrified vehicles following a risk analysis which highlights the dangers of a fire breaking out on board.

The company will no longer ship hybrid, hydrogen, or fully electric vehicles between the cities of Bergen and Kierkenes in which it operates.

It’s reasoning is that their ships don’t have the capabilities to extinguish battery fires due to their faster and hotter burn.

However, vehicles with internal combustion engines will still be able to be transported on the ships even though they catch fire more frequently than electrified vehicles.

“This is purely a safety assessment and the result of the risk analysis shows that a possible fire in fossil vehicles can be managed by the systems and crew we have on board,” says Managing Director Bent Martini.

The worry is likely in reference to the Felicity Ace car transporter which was sunk by a blaze at the start of last year. While the cause is unknown, there were EVs on board which may have started the fire.

It’s also worth noting that Norway is among one of the largest adopters of EV with over 80 per cent of vehicles sold in 2022 there being electric. That means the ban may throw a spanner in the works for residents trying to get to, from, and in between Bergen and Kierkenes.

However, rival shipping company, Hurtigruten, operates on the same route and says that it will continue to provide transport for all vehicles no matter how they’re powered.