Brine-based system offers simple solution in fight against EV fires

As EV-related fires continue to challenge the maritime industry – with incidents like the Morning Midas blaze in the North Pacific (pictured) – operators are urgently seeking more effective solutions. A new brine-based firefighting system, developed by Skansi Offshore in close cooperation with naval architect Knud E. Hansen, now offers a simple answer using only salt and water.

The system is operational aboard Norrøna, sailing the world’s longest ropax route, and is scheduled for installation on two new roro vessels under construction.

Unlike traditional fire suppression methods – which act from the outside and often fail to extinguish the core fire – the brine system targets the battery directly from inside the vehicle. In the event of a fire, one window is penetrated, and cold, saturated brine is delivered directly into the cabin. This allows the fluid to pool around the battery compartment, rapidly cooling the cells, limiting oxygen exposure, suppressing flammable materials, and even short-circuiting and depowering the battery.

“We believe this system sets a new standard. It’s low-tech in the best way – reliable, proven, and easily maintainable. Most importantly, it addresses the real issue: heat – not just the flames, but the fire inside the battery” said Finn Wollesen, managing director of Knud E. Hansen.

In a full-scale fire test conducted in the Faroe Islands, the system extinguished a fully developed EV fire in under one hour, including response times. In contrast, lithium-ion battery fires often burn for 24 hours or more when left to self-extinguish, and can reignite multiple times.

The retrofittable system features a 16 cu m cooled brine tank set at –19 °C, a redundant pump system, a heat exchanger connected to a vessel’s refrigeration system, and fire hydrants located on the EV deck.