E-bicycles, e-tricycles and e-scooters are facing new Steamship Authority rules that could see some electric-vehicle riders turned away at the dock.

“Crew members have the authority to refuse any device that presents a safety concern,” according to a draft policy shared at Tuesday morning’s meeting of the advisory port council.

The policy allows only commercially-manufactured e-bikes and e-scooters and requires that they be free of visible damage, including swollen batteries, exposed wires and signs of overheating or fire damage.

Modified or homemade battery systems would be prohibited, along with batteries that are damaged, defective or recalled.

Steamship Authority general manager Alex Kryska said the new rules are needed for safety reasons as the electric devices become more widespread.

“It’s a growing concern of ferry systems, kind of nationwide,” Mr. Kryska said.

While e-bikes and e-scooters are smaller than electric automobiles, their batteries are more volatile and can ignite unexpectedly, he said.

“One of our own chief engineers … had a scooter in his garage, not plugged in, it caught on fire and the house went up,” Mr. Kryska said.

“It’s a real dangerous thing we really need to be cognizant of and take care of it,” he said.

Riding bicycles and scooters on and off the ferry is already prohibited. The new policy also details how e-bikes and e-scooters must be stored aboard the vessel.

“We have to get them in a place [and] get them segregated,” chief operating officer Mark Amundsen said.

“These are serious issues that we take very seriously here at the Steamship,” he said.

The authority’s governing board is expected to review the draft policy at its August 18 meeting.