Montenegro Lines bans EVs and HEVs on vessels as safety precaution

Domestic shipping company Montenegro Lines announced that it is banning, "effective immediately," any electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid EV (HEV) from its vessels, whether for passenger or cargo carriage, as a safety measure.

"This measure is being implemented as a preventive safety precaution to minimize the risk of fire, explosion, thermal runaway, and other potential hazards associated with electric and hybrid vehicle batteries during vessel operations," the shipping line said.

Earlier in the day, the Department of Energy said that authorities are working to soon issue safety regulations on the transportation of EVs following the deadly fire that broke out aboard the MV June Aster while it was sailing to Coron, Palawan.

The department said it is already coordinating with the Maritime Industry Authority.

In a statement, Montenegro Lines also directed its Vessel Masters to enforce the following:

Ensure that no electric or hybrid vehicle is accepted for boarding or carriage onboard

Coordinate with the Operations Department, Terminal, Ticketing, Loading, and Cargo Personnel to ensure strict implementation of this directive

Ensure that vehicles are properly identified and checked prior to boarding:

Immediately report any attempted boarding or carriage of an electric or hybrid vehicle to the Operations Department and SQA Department

Strictly comply with this directive until further notice or until Management issues a revised instruction

"The safety and protection of our passengers, crew, vessels, and cargo remain our highest priority. All concerned personnel are expected to exercise vigilance and ensure strict compliance with this directive," it said.

Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc. is a domestic shipping company in the Philippines that was established in 1978 with initial routes from Batangas City to Mindoro Island and vice versa. It has a total of 59 vessels, fastcrafts, and passenger fleets today, according to information on its website. —LDF, GMA News