UK safety agency “recommends” FOC ferry vessels self-police fire safety procedures

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) used mealy-mouthed language requesting that the Bahamas make firefighting safety recommendations to the IMO in its full report on the June 2010 fire aboard the ro-ro ferry Commodore Clipper. An overheated reefer cable caused the main deck fire which was difficult to contain because of tight access space to allow firefighters to approach the blaze as well as trailer roofs blocking the effectiveness of the vessel’s sprinkler system. Access problems prevented passengers from leaving the vessel for 20 hours after the fire.

The vessel is flagged in the Bahamas, a flag of convenience nation.

The full MAIB report treads softly on the Bahamas. “Recommending” a flag of convenience make a “submission” to the IMO to “consider” requiring ro-ro passenger vessels to determine the effect of firefighting damage on stability is about as useful as asking a suspected embezzler to report any suspicious fraudulent activity he sees.

The MAIB safety flyer urges vessel operators to examine vehicle decks for vulnerable and critical systems, to regularly inspect all reefer power cables, install boundary cooling systems as a backup if drenching systems fail to extinguish a fire and upgrading electrical protection to a system that provides residual current detection and detects in-line phase faults.

Source: Cruise and Ferry.net