Containership fires fuel concerns over cargo losses

Two on-board containership fires in 2016 – the NNCI Arauco in September and the Maersk Karachi in May – have raised concerns that seafarers are inadequately equipped for such exposures, according to the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI).

On the NNCI Aruaco, a fire broke out during welding operations and 300 firefighters were deployed. Attempts to seal the hold and flood with CO₂ were unsuccessful, before water was used to flood the hatch and finally foam to bring the fire under control.

The fire on the Maersk Karachi was also caused by welding operations and more than 100 firefighters were called in to control it. Water monitors were needed to flood the hold to extinguish the fire.

“At sea, below-deck fires cannot be fought with water and so CO₂ is used instead to displace the oxygen and extinguish the fire,” said Uwe-Peter Schieder, vice chairman of IUMI’s loss prevention committee.

“However, if the fire is burning within a container, the box will protect it from the CO₂ and so this method of fire-fighting is rarely successful.

“Currently there are no other methods of fighting a containership fire below deck. Even on deck, the crew only have access to hoses and nozzles. They do not have sufficient monitors or foam and so cannot cool the vessel’s structure.”

Another incident involved the MSC Flamina, where the vessel burned for almost six weeks, 70 percent of the cargo destroyed and the ship was declared a constructive total loss. Three of the seafarers aboard the vessel lost their lives.

Although there are SOLAS regulations in place for these types of exposures, IUMI has called for further dialogue involving IMO, class, shipbuilders and shipping companies to further improve firefighting capabilities on-board containerships.

“All stakeholders should work together to identify sustainable solutions to protect lives and property at sea,” said IUMI.