The letter follows a notice that the Coast Guard sent to boat owners in the wake of the Conception fire on Labor Day 2019 that warned of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. It recommended sweeping changes to small vessel oversight by the Coast Guard, including better smoke detection systems and emergency exits that lead to different areas of the boat. The Coast Guard, in its new policy, acknowledged that the federal aviation industry had adopted widespread restrictions on lithium-ion batteries long ago. A Times investigation last year found the Coast Guard had been slow to act on concerns about such batteries on vessels. The new guidelines for inspectors aren’t designed to address large-scale lithium-ion batteries that are used to power some vessels.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 11, 2020 00:45 UTC