Section 10 Fire safety

10.1.1 Arrangements for Fire protection, detection and extinction shall be considered in the risk-based studies, consideration being given specifically to MSC/Circular.1002 - Guidelines on Alternative Design and Arrangements for Fire Safety.

10.1.2 For the purposes of these Rules, where used in SOLAS II-2, 1.6.2.1, the term ‘cargo’ shall also be read to refer to methanol fuel and so the relevant provisions shall apply.

10.2.1 Unless expressly provided below, any space containing equipment for fuel storage and preparation (such as pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, and pressure vessels) shall be regarded as a machinery space of category A for the purpose of determining the fire integrity of bulkheads and decks forming their boundaries.

10.2.2 Any boundary of accommodation spaces, up to navigating bridge windows, service spaces, control stations, escape routes and machinery spaces, facing fuel storage tanks on open deck, shall be made of A-60 class divisions, except wheelhouse windows which can be class A-0 (see also Ch 1, 5.3 Fuel storage tanks 5.3.7). In addition, fuel storage tanks shall be segregated from cargo in accordance with the requirements of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code (where the tanks are regarded as bulk packaging).

10.2.3 The boundaries separating cofferdams, fuel supply equipment spaces and ventilation trunks to such spaces shall be made of:

1. A-60 class divisions, and for machinery rooms and other ‘high fire risk’ areas, the fire insulation shall be fitted on the machinery room side or other ‘high fire risk’ areas side; or

2. A-0 class divisions where the spaces are tanks, voids, auxiliary machinery spaces of little or no fire risk, sanitary and similar spaces.

10.2.4 The fire protection of fuel pipes led through ro-ro spaces, special category spaces, and vehicle spaces shall be specially considered by LR depending on the use, arrangements and expected pressure in the pipes.

10.2.5 Bunkering stations shall be separated by A-60 class divisions towards machinery spaces of category A, accommodation spaces, control stations and high fire risk spaces, except for spaces such as tanks, voids, auxiliary machinery spaces of little or no fire risk, sanitary and similar spaces where the insulation standard can be reduced to class A-0 divisions.

10.3.1 When fuel storage tanks are located on open deck, isolating valves shall be fitted in the fire main to isolate damaged sections of the fire main. Isolation of a section of fire main shall not deprive the fire line ahead of the isolated section from the supply of water.

10.4.1 A water spray system shall be installed for cooling and fire prevention to cover exposed parts of fuel storage tank(s) located on open deck.

10.4.2 The water spray system shall also provide coverage for boundaries of the superstructures, compressor rooms, pump rooms, cargo control rooms, bunkering control stations, bunkering stations and any other normally occupied deck houses that face the fuel storage tank on open deck.

10.4.3 The water spray system shall meet the relevant requirements of MSC.1/Circular 1430.

10.4.4 For passenger ships to which the requirements of SOLAS Ch II-1/8-1 and Ch II-2 Reg 21 and 22 apply, the water spray system shall remain operational following any casualty as specified in SOLAS Ch II-1 Reg 8-1.2, Ch II-2, Reg 21.3 and Reg 22.3.1.

10.5.1 A fixed, Alcohol Resistant Aqueous Film Forming Foam (ARAFFF) fire-extinguishing system shall be provided. Coverage and positioning of monitors of the ARAFFF system shall be addressed in the risk-based studies.

10.6.1 A fixed fire-extinguishing system complying with the provision of MSC/Circ.1165 (as amended), shall be provided in machinery spaces where equipment containing fuel is located.

10.6.2 Additional fire-fighting measures shall be considered in the risk-based studies, see also Ch 1, 10.1 General 10.1.1.