U.S. International Shipping Los Angeles/Long Beach Port Multiple Terminals Forced to Close (Lithium Battery Catches Fire)

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2024-09-29 17:44

On Thursday, a trailer carrying a large lithium-ion battery overturned and caught fire on a highway near the Port of Los Angeles. The fire was difficult to control and was expected to burn for 24-48 hours, resulting in traffic jams, road closures and the closure of several docks. The accident once again warned of the safety of lithium battery transportation and aggravated the tension in the global supply chain.

On Thursday, a semi-trailer truck carrying six large lithium-ion batteries overturned on Highway 47 near the Port of Los Angeles and caught fire, causing serious traffic jams, closing related sections and forcing several docks in the Port of Los Angeles to close. The accident occurred in the community of San Pedro. Although no casualties were caused, one of the batteries exploded, triggering a "thermal runaway" phenomenon. The flame was as high as 10 feet, and the fire spread rapidly and was difficult to control.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said in an evening statement that the fire is expected to continue burning for at least 24 to 48 hours, during which about seven miles of California's Interstate 47 from the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Long Beach will be closed. In view of the danger of lithium battery fire and the characteristics of difficult to extinguish, firefighters have adopted the strategy of letting the fire extinguish itself to avoid the environmental hazards and ineffective fire extinguishing problems that may be caused by using water to extinguish the fire.

Traffic remained closed in both directions between Highway 47 and Highway 110 late Thursday. The section of Harry Bridges Avenue to Anaheim Street was congested with traffic, as was Pacific Coast Highway and Wilmington. Officials said the Vincent Thomas Bridge could be closed for up to 48 hours.

The Port of Los Angeles, one of the busiest ports in the Western Hemisphere, announced the closure of multiple terminals, including APM Terminal, Fenix Marine, Everport and Yusen Terminal, in response to an accident scene emergency. The TraPac and West Basin Container Terminal(WBCT) terminals, as well as the World Cruise Centre, remain open, despite partial terminal closures.

Meanwhile, officials from the California Department of Transportation and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services worked closely with emergency responders on the scene to monitor the fire and assess damage. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also moved quickly, setting up fire isolation zones and sending hazardous materials handling teams to support them.

It is worth noting that in July this year, a similar accident occurred in the United States. A truck loaded with lithium-ion batteries overturned and caught fire while driving. The incident directly caused the important traffic between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The main line-Highway 15 was forced to close for 48 hours. In view of the recent frequent accidents related to lithium batteries in ports at home and abroad, especially in high temperature weather, the incident once again sounded the alarm for the transportation safety of lithium batteries and dangerous goods.

The incident not only affects the operation of the Port of Los Angeles, but also coincides with the risk of possible strikes at major container ports on the U.S. East and Gulf Coast, which further increases tensions in the global supply chain. To mitigate the risk, importers have diverted some of their cargo to the West Coast, resulting in near-record throughput at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during the outbreak.

While the Port of Long Beach says overall cargo traffic is not expected to be significantly affected, Pier T and Pier A will be closed during the Friday day shift (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to ensure safety. However, other container terminals are operating as normal (LBCT, ITS, PCT and the SSA at Pier C are all open), and the port authorities are also advising drivers to use alternative routes to reduce traffic pressure in the affected areas.

As the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to experience record throughput growth in 2024, the accident undoubtedly poses a challenge for these two important logistics hubs. However, through the joint efforts of port authorities, container terminal operators, trade union officials and other stakeholders, the crisis is being actively responded to to ensure safety and minimize the impact on port operations.

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