As most fires on board ships start in the engine room, Gard P&I Club has highlighted the main aspects associated with preventing engine room fires, based on observations made during condition surveys of vessels entered by the organisation’s personnel.
According to Gard, there are a number of built-in safety features on board a vessel, designed to limit the risk of fire and the spread of it, and the officers and crew must have full knowledge of these and maintain their integrity. Thus, the Club advises the following: Continue reading “Key steps in preventing engine room fires”
Bananas, though said to be the world’s most transported and consumed fruit, are also among the most sensitive cargoes that can be carried on a ship according to Skuld. Before a banana ends up on the shelves it has been exposed to numerous external factors which all have a bearing on how the fruit is finally presented.
Cargo fires are a well known challenge amongst shipping industry stakeholders. Fire onboard can result in major casualties, including loss of life. Yet, fire safety remains the most common ship deficiency area.
Based on a safety risk study on containerized cargo fires, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has released the CARGOSAFE study, with the goal of identifying cost-effective risk control options for cargo fires. It assesses the dimensions of the problem for both existing ships and newbuilds.