Shipping Company Stops Carrying Electric Cars Due To Safety

According toNRK Nordland, the shipping company Havila Kystruten will no longer transport electrified vehicles on its route between the coastal cities of Bergen and Kirkenes. That includes hybrids, all-electric, and hydrogen vehicles like theToyota Mirai. Havila Kystruten is one of just two companies that transport passengers and goods on the popular route.

"The decision has been taken following an external risk analysis that has been carried out for us. The conclusion of that analysis means that we have decided not to take this type of car on board due to safety reasons," said Lasse A. Vangstein, head of communications for Havila Kystruten.

The issue for Havila Kystruten is the firefighting capabilities on ships rather than the frequency of electric car fires. However, its competitor, Hurtigruten, has no such qualms.

"We have been transporting cars between all the ports for 40 years, and it is going just fine. We have no plans to stop doing that," said Hurtigruten spokesperson Martin Henriksen.

How much money Havila Kystruten will be leaving on the table is unclear. According to the company, it makes the majority of its money transporting goods and passengers. Until recently, Havila Kystruten had a monopoly on operating scheduled traffic between Bergen and Kirkenes, but that ended in 2018. It doesn't appear to be a proactive move, though, as thepopularity of electric cars in Norwayis one of the highest in the world.