The application of lithium battery packs in ship electric propulsion faces multiple challenges, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Technical challenges:

Energy density and endurance: Although the energy density of lithium batteries is higher than that of traditional lead-acid batteries, it still fails to meet the long-range endurance requirements of large ocean-going vessels. The driving range is limited by the battery capacity and needs to be addressed by increasing the energy density or expanding the battery pack size.

Thermal management issues: The operating environment of ships is complex. If the heat generated by lithium battery packs during charging and discharging cannot be dissipated in time, it is easy to cause local overheating and pose safety hazards. When charging and discharging at high rates, heat generation surges. It is necessary to design an efficient heat dissipation system to keep the battery pack within a safe temperature range.

Safety and reliability: Lithium batteries may experience thermal runaway under abnormal conditions such as overcharging, overdischarging, and short circuits, and may even cause fires or explosions. The Marine power system has extremely high safety requirements. It is necessary to strengthen the research and development of the battery management system to ensure the stable operation of the battery pack under various working conditions.

Economic challenges:

High initial investment cost: The purchase cost of lithium battery packs is significantly higher than that of traditional fuel power systems, increasing the initial investment pressure on ships. Although the long-term operating costs are relatively low, the high initial investment still restricts its large-scale application.

Full life cycle cost: The lifespan of lithium batteries is affected by factors such as the number of charge and discharge cycles and environmental temperature, and they need to be replaced regularly. In addition, the cost of battery recycling and disposal is relatively high, and a complete recycling system needs to be established to reduce the total life cycle cost.

Challenges at the infrastructure and standard levels:

Insufficient charging facilities: The electric propulsion of ships relies on a well-developed charging infrastructure, but the current construction of charging facilities in ports lags behind, making it difficult to meet the charging demands of a large number of electric ships.

Lack of standards and regulations: The application of lithium battery packs on ships lacks unified technical standards and safety regulations. Batteries from different manufacturers and of different types have varying performances and uneven safety levels. Moreover, there is a lack of third-party unified inspection methods, making it difficult to predict safety risks.

Environmental and Operational Challenges:

Environmental adaptability: During the operation of ships, they encounter harsh environments such as severe vibration, salt spray corrosion, and high humidity. Therefore, lithium battery packs need to have excellent weather resistance and corrosion resistance to ensure long-term stable operation.

Diverse operation modes: The operation modes of electric ships are diverse, including pure electric and hybrid power, etc. Different modes have different demands for lithium battery packs, and flexible design is required to meet diverse operation needs.

Lagging policies and standards

Incomplete regulations and standards: The safety standards and regulations for electric ships are still not complete, lacking unified industry standards and regulatory measures, which leads to potential safety hazards in the application of lithium battery packs on ships.

The absence of inspection and certification systems: Lithium-ion batteries from different manufacturers and of different types have varying performances and uneven safety levels. Moreover, there is a lack of third-party unified inspection methods, which increases the safety risks in ship operations.