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Domestic carrier Lite Shipping Corp. is allowing electric vehicles aboard its vessels and has set precautionary measures while government rules have yet to be finalized
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Lite Shipping said EVs are not prohibited from being transported aboard its ships and that it supports its safe and responsible carriage
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Precautionary measures include proper ventilation, appropriate fire-fighting equipment, keeping EVs switched off during transit, and prohibiting drivers and passengers from remaining inside vehicles while onboard
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Lite Shipping emphasized that the measures are preventive in nature and are aligned with international maritime safety practices for the carriage of EVs
Domestic carrier Lite Shipping Corp. is allowing electric vehicles (EVs) aboard its vessels and has set precautionary measures while new government rules have yet to be finalized.
Lite Shipping, which operates the Lite Ferries line, said in an advisory that EVs are not prohibited from being transported aboard its ships and that it supports its safe and responsible carriage in accordance with Republic Act No. 11697, or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).
To ensure the safety of passengers, crew, cargo, and vessels, the following will be observed:
- EVs will be stowed in a well-ventilated area of the vessel
- Dedicated fire extinguishing equipment suitable for electrical and lithium-ion battery fires will be readily available onboard
- EVs must remain switched off throughout the voyage
- Drivers and passengers will not be permitted to remain inside EVs during transit
Additional safety protocols may be implemented as deemed necessary by the vessel operator.
Lite Shipping emphasized that the measures are preventive in nature and are aligned with international maritime safety practices for the carriage of EVs.
The shipping line also clarified that there is no general ban on the carriage of EVs aboard ships in other countries.
“Shipping operators worldwide continue to transport EVs while implementing appropriate safety protocols to mitigate potential risks associated with lithium-ion battery systems,” it noted.
Safety and sustainability
Lite Shipping added that it supports the Philippine government’s initiative to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and advance sustainable transportation while ensuring the safe and efficient carriage of EVs onboard its vessels.
Lite Ferries serve routes in the Visayas and Mindanao.
The issuance of the advisory comes amid the decision of other shipping lines to impose their own restrictions on EVs and hybrid vehicles in the days following the deadly fire that struck Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc.’s vessel, MV June Aster, off Coron, Palawan in September. According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), 77 people lost their lives, 43 survived, and eight individuals remain missing as of September 28.
The cause of the MV June Aster fire remains under investigation, and authorities have yet to confirm that an EV onboard triggered the blaze.
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Region IV regional director Maximo Bañares Jr., in a radio interview on September 27, said their investigation points to flammable cargo and improper stowage as possible sources of the fire. He, however, declined to identify the specific type of flammable cargo that could have caused the fire. There are separate investigations being conducted by PCG, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Philippine National Police.
The Department of Energy (DOE), meanwhile, earlier said it is coordinating with MARINA to develop specific safety protocols for transporting EVs and hybrid vehicles aboard ships. The joint effort will establish clear, science-based, and uniform requirements that protect passengers and vessels without unnecessarily restricting the growth of electric mobility in the country.
READ: DOE, MARINA to draft joint safety rules for EVs onboard ferries after Coron fire
The department is also taking part in drafting the 2026 Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Fire Code alongside BFP, incorporating measures that address emerging risks tied to EVs and lithium-ion batteries.
DOE officials earlier acknowledged that current regulations do not explicitly address EV carriage by sea, leaving individual shipping operators to set their own rules in the meantime. DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director Patrick Aquino raised the gap during a recent Senate hearing on the department’s proposed 2027 budget, noting that shipping lines currently lack firm government guidance on the matter.
