Fire Protection, Fire Detection, Fire Extinction

Passenger and cargo ship fires can be destructive, for both people and goods on board as well as the crew members. On passenger ships, fire may lead to a large number of accidents, some of which could be fatal. On cargo ships, inflammable items can be a risk to crew members, harbours, and ports, so there is a vital need for marine terminal fire protection.

The Marine Fire Protection Standards of the International Convention for Marine Fire Safety are designed for marine firefighting strategies which include measures to prevent fires from occurring, marine fire detection beforehand, and to extinguish any possible fire occurrence. Creating accessible evacuation routes for people and crewmembers are also comprehensively explained in these marine fire protection standards. These standards are intended to guarantee that marine fires are avoided – for instance by ensuring that materials, such as carpets and divider covers are carefully controlled to lessen the fire hazard, any flames are quickly detected by marine fire detection systems, and that any fire is contained and extinguished by the marine fire extinguisher service.

The light delivered by fire has a trademark flicker frequency of about 25Hz. The range in the infrared or ultraviolet range can be detected by marine fire detection alarm systems to give an alert. Oil fires, for the most part, do not emit much smoke and this sort of sensor is mostly preferred, mainly when hardware or boilers are close to fuel, this gives an early warning. Due to diesel fires being the most common type of vessel fire, Class B related marine fire extinguishers are the ones required on most ships.

Marine Environment

Ships are responsible for carrying 90% of the world’s trade, because of their ability to carry large items which cannot be transported by any other means and is the least damaging to the environment, when product value is considered. For example, the quantum of grain, required for making bread, can only be transported through ships.

Marine Environment Division, Marine Environment Protection Committee, the IMO and the organisation of the International Convention for the Pollution of the Sea are all directed towards eliminating marine pollution by any means. Sea pollution by ship oils and harmful substances is controlled and removed by these working organisations and committees. IMO’s objective has also been to promote all sources of marine pollution’s effective control and to take all possible measures that can be taken to stop contamination of the sea from dumping wastes and other substances.

For developing countries, which cannot give full importance to eliminating sea pollution, IMO has established a program to help countries in building their institutional and human capacities for reducing sea pollution by oils and harmful substances. Assisting these countries in developing marine environment protection will enable cleaner coasts and waters, saving sea life and increasing tourism.