The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has published Policy Letter 20-03: “Carriage of Lithium-Ion Batteries on Small Passenger Vessels” to provide guidance regarding carriage of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries on small passenger vessels (SPV).

The Coast Guard Office of Engineering and Design Standards (CG-ENG) examined how different modes of transportation address risks associated with the carriage of Li-ion batteries. CG-ENG benchmarked industry safety standards and other federal regulatory regimes to assess the potential hazards that Li-ion batteries may pose on an SPV.

Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) and Marine Inspectors (MIs) shall use this guidance to identify potential safety risks on SPVs relating to the hazards associated with the carriage of portable Li-ion batteries. This policy letter expires on January 1, 2024.

Policy letter 20-03 may be viewed in its entirety on the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance(CG-CVC) policy letter website.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official publications, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These publications remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.