Vehicular ferries AMSA guidelines for carrying EV's

[unharmed]

DCV Safety Alert 02/2023 – Risks Associated with the Carriage of Battery Electric Vehicles While this is almost a year old, it is something that most of us will not have come across. Basically, they are advising Masters' to be aware of EV fires onboard and what to look for. If in the unlikely event of fire do XYZ. I believe some ferry operators are placing EV's near the ramp IE last on First off. Probably, the thinking is, if it does combust, then they can use the next vehicle to push the vehicle on fire overboard.

 

[LoudMusic]

Priority deboarding. I'm OK with that.

 

[Quickst]

I have no problems at the Berowra Waters ferry and Wiseman's Ferry

 

[leonk]

I've always preferred turning up to the Spirit of Tas as late as possible.
Less time spent in the waiting line is better plus you end up with a faster exit anyway.

 

[jamesgo]

We did the Spirit of Tas and yep, all the Hybrids and EV's were placed together. You also had to put a EV sticker on the windscreen which they gave you.
Also just a reminder to disable sentry for anyone taking a ferry.

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Long term as EVs become normal, they'll need separate compartments or pods that can be partially flooded. Start with the keel, you can flood the lowest level to a limited extent and not lose the ship. Just all the cars on that level. As time goes on, put non-LFP EVs into individual waist-high dumpsters that can be flooded to dissipate the heat.

Not sure how that'd work with hybrids where the battery is in the boot behind the back seat, or buses where the battery is on the roof.

 

[moa999]

Think it will more become vehicle blankets (not cheap) that can deal with both EVs and ICE cars.

At the first sign of fire you deploy extinguishers then throw the heavy blanket over the vehicle that suffocates it from oxygen.

Example from Colorado of an EV (non-Tesla) and hybrid catching alight in a garage.

 

[Chuq]

It's mostly a nothingburger of an announcement.

This is the response from TT-Line (state owned GBE that operates the Spirit of Tasmania ferries) - from Tasmanian state government Hansard:

Ms Armitage - Rosemary Armitage, Independent MLC
Mr Valentine - Rob Valentine, Independent MLC

Mr Ferguson - Michael Ferguson, MP, Minister for Infrastructure (responsible minister for TT-Line)
Mr Grainger - Mike Grainger, Chairman of TT-Line
Mr Dwyer - Bernard Dwyer, CEO of TT-Line

Apologies for the images, it wouldn't copy and paste the text correctly.

 

[X Æ A-12]

That was extremely painful to read

 

[Chuq]

That was extremely painful to read

Hopefully you mean Armitage's idiotic comments and not the image format

Forgot to include a link to the source - here it is for future reference: https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/_...-24-November-2023-TT-Line-Company-Pty-Ltd.pdf

 

[X Æ A-12]

Hopefully you mean Armitage's idiotic comments and not the image format

Forgot to include a link to the source - here it is for future reference: https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/_...-24-November-2023-TT-Line-Company-Pty-Ltd.pdf

Spot on haha

 

[leonk]

One takeaway from that, TT-Line expect you to charge before boarding and provide for that (the Devonport Supercharger).
Maybe as a non-Tesla owner I should start pushing for them to provide a non-Tesla option as well.

 

[Hairyman]

The Corio supercharger is open to non-Teslas. It is near the Gelong terminal for the ferry.

 

[Quickst]

TT-Line expect you to charge before boarding and provide for that

I don't read anywhere that TTLine expects you to charge before boarding... have I missed something?.

Just like ICE cars there are no petrol bowsers on board so there are no chargers on board

 

[[Zombie]]

I don't read anywhere that TTLine expects you to charge before boarding... have I missed something?.

It was in the "GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SCRUTINY COMMITTEE B" transcript @Chuq posted earlier (screenshots and direct pdf link)

Mr DWYER -
We do not charge vehicles on the ship. Our policy is that you supercharge or charge your vehicles before you get onto the vessel.
We have provided facilities in Devonport and there are facilities close to Geelong to be able to do that.

I think Mr Dwyer meant that in the context of: you should have charged enough to reach the next destination and/or charging station

Just like petrol cars that come on the ship are expected to have enough fuel to get to the next bowser.

I know in the early-adopter phase there were a few people on this forum hoping to be able to plug in their car while it was on the ship.
May as well get a charge while you're stuck in one place for a few hours, right?
I assume Dwyer's comments are in response to that.

 

[leonk]

Yeah, my point was there's bugger all available for charging on the Devonport side.
Wouldn't kill them to have something else as an option next to the Tesla chargers.

I think the argument is that charging is the most dangerous time (from this perspective) so make sure you've got enough charge to get off the boat otherwise you'll be getting towed off.

 

[Quickst]

Just like petrol cars that come on the ship are expected to have enough fuel to get to the next bowser.

Yes, that's my intepretation. There is no specific requirement to charge before boarding.
@leonk unfortunately that's the reality of operating a non Tesla EV as Non Tesla EV manufacturers do not contribute to charging infrastructure in Australia. It will fall to the Tasmanian Govt to put in some or commercial operators, but given the views of some like Armitage, it might not be a high priority.

But even for Tesla EV, Devonport could do with more than just 3 SC.

 

[qldoldun]

Just like petrol cars that come on the ship are expected to have enough fuel to get to the next bowser.

In 1956 I took my Triumph Thunderbird across on the old Taroona - loaded on and off in a sling. Instructed to have just enough petrol to get to nearest servo as the bike would be laying on its side. The nearest servo was at George Town which meant backtracking on the proverbial oily rag.

 

[Quickst]

I had a petrol Jerry can in the ICE car when crossing with Spirit one time. I had to empty it into the ICE tank and fill it with water.

 

[Chuq]

Yeah, my point was there's bugger all available for charging on the Devonport side.
Wouldn't kill them to have something else as an option next to the Tesla chargers.

At the moment, TasPorts/TT-Line are building a new Spirit terminal about 200-300m south of the current site. It will include a relocation of the passenger car park and TT-Line have confirmed that the superchargers will be moving to this car park.

It’d probably be worth sending them a question in regards to non-Tesla charging infrastructure. If they aren’t already planning it, they’d probably be receptive to adding something. Firstly, because the cost of the electrical infrastructure is insignificant compared to a port upgrade. Second, because they could build the new ones before they relocate the Tesla supercharger stalls, to avoid any downtime

Devonport Quaylink

QuayLink is once in a generation infrastructure development project, which will see an investment of $240 million at the Port of Devonport.

www.tasports.com.au