Fire-Containers Limited – Fire Safety Containment Unit
The Challenge
Transporting lithium‑ion batteries (LiB) and electric vehicles (EVs) by sea freight presents significant safety risks. Damaged or defective batteries can enter thermal runaway, leading to fire or explosion. In the confined environment of a vessel, such incidents can escalate rapidly, threatening crew safety, cargo integrity and potentially causing total vessel loss.
Lithium‑ion batteries are particularly sensitive to physical impact, heat and manufacturing defects. Once ignited, fires are difficult to extinguish and prone to re‑ignition. Traditional onboard firefighting methods rely on flooding with vast quantities of water, which is often inefficient, environmentally damaging and operationally risky. Early detection and effective containment are critical to preventing escalation.
The Innovation
Fire Containers Ltd developed and patented the Fire Safety Containment Unit (FSCU) and Electric Vehicle Containment Unit (EVCU) to address these risks through a fully self‑contained, dedicated fire‑mitigation solution.
Both units incorporate integrated fire detection, onboard water tanks and high‑pressure water misting systems. Firefighting water is filtered, recirculated and reused, allowing rapid suppression using minimal onboard resources. The primary firefighting tactic is steam generation, which cools battery cells and halts fire development quickly.
The FSCU is designed for the safe transport and storage of lithium‑ion batteries and other flammable cargo, while the EVCU provides secure containment for electric vehicles. Each unit prevents fire spread, suppresses flames immediately upon detection, and contains all contaminated water within the unit—protecting crews, vessels and the marine environment.
How It Was Implemented
In 2023, increasing requests from UK fire services highlighted a gap between vehicle manufacturer guidance and available firefighting solutions. While manufacturers warned against submerging battery packs, existing recovery systems relied on full immersion.
In response, Fire Containers Ltd assembled a multidisciplinary team of fire‑service professionals, engineers and vehicle‑recovery specialists to design a containment‑based, non‑submersion solution. The EVCU uses high‑pressure misting to suppress flames and cool batteries without immersing them, slowing thermal runaway safely.
The EVCU was built, deployed and adopted by UK fire and recovery services and remains the only operational unit of its kind nationally. Building on this success, the FSCU was developed to address risks associated with transporting lithium‑ion batteries, particularly by sea.
What Was the Result
EVCUs now enable safe recovery and transport of damaged EVs, significantly reducing reignition risk and exposure for responders. FSCUs provide a secure solution for sea freight, preventing fires from spreading and protecting ships, crews and cargo.
Both units enhance operational efficiency by enabling rapid containment, reducing downtime and minimising secondary incidents, while delivering a high‑confidence solution to a high‑risk global challenge.
Conclusion
As lithium‑ion battery use accelerates across electric mobility, energy storage and consumer goods, the need for dedicated fire‑mitigation solutions becomes critical. The EVCU and FSCU directly address the unique risks of battery fires, providing early detection, rapid suppression and full containment.
Together, they offer a scalable, proven approach to protecting lives, vessels and supply chains—setting a new benchmark for lithium‑ion battery safety worldwide.
- Date
- 25/08/2026
