ClassNK Releases Edition 2.0 of Guidelines for Additional Fire-Fighting Measures for Container Carriers
Key Takeaways
- •ClassNK released Edition 2.0 of its guidelines for additional fire-fighting measures on container carriers.
- •The revision reflects operational experience from ships in service, feedback from industry stakeholders, and discussions at the IMO.
- •New examples include fire hydrants on lashing bridges and video monitoring systems for early detection in weather deck cargo areas.
- •The update also revised equipment specifications and reduced the camera requirement from eight to two.
- •ClassNK said the guidelines and related notations can help shipowners improve fire safety and show those measures to external stakeholders.
ClassNK has released the Guidelines for Additional Fire-fighting Measures for Container Carrier (Edition 2.0). The guidelines set out criteria for evaluating additional fire-fighting measures implemented on container carriers beyond the mandatory requirements of international conventions and regulations. Edition 2.0 incorporates operational experience from ships in service as well as the latest international developments. By following the guidelines, shipowners and operators can improve fire safety in a practical and effective way, while the corresponding notations allow such measures to be demonstrated to external stakeholders.
In recent years, container ship cargo characteristics and stowage methods have become more diverse, increasing the need for fire safety measures beyond existing mandatory requirements. That makes the revision relevant not only as a technical update, but also as a way to align shipboard practices with evolving operational conditions and industry discussions. To support the assessment of additional fire-fighting measures and to make them easier to recognize externally, ClassNK first published the guidelines in April 2023. The latest revision, issued as Edition 2.0, reflects feedback from shipowners and shipbuilders, discussions at the IMO, and ship operational conditions.
Example of revisions
- Added the installation of fire hydrants for rapid fire-fighting operations on lashing bridges.
- Added measures related to video monitoring systems for early fire detection in weather deck cargo areas.
- Revised equipment specifications and required quantities to make them more reasonable, taking ship operational conditions and cost-effectiveness into account. For example, the required number of cameras was reduced from eight to two, and the intended use of portable infrared thermographic cameras for firefighting operations and fire patrols was clarified.
ClassNK said it will continue working on appropriate guidelines and certification services to support further improvements in maritime transportation safety.
How to access the guidelines
The guidelines are available for download through the “Guidelines” section of My Page on ClassNK’s website after registration:
Source: ClassNK