According to P&I Clubs statistics, fires in cargo spaces are much less common than fires in engine rooms or electrical units. However, no matter where a fire occurs on a ship, it is a serious problem because it can spread quickly and is very difficult to localize, and often ends with the crew having to urgently evacuate the ship, the Russian Professional Union of Seafarers notes.
In 2021, for example, a fire on board the container ship X-Press Pearl resulted in the total loss of the vessel and cargo, reminding the shipping industry once again that preventing cargo fires is a top priority for the shipping industry. According to the latest Allianz Safety and Shipping Review, there have been more than 70 fires on container ships alone in the last five years. These fires often start in containers and can be the result of incomplete or inaccurate information on dangerous goods such as chemicals and batteries.
"About 5% of the containers loaded on board are undeclared dangerous goods. They may be improperly packed and placed on board, which may lead to a fire and/or make it difficult to detect and extinguish a fire. The more containers on board, the higher the probability that at least one of them may catch fire and cause a fire, and the more difficult it is to localize and extinguish it," Allianz notes.
Lessons learned from recent incidents
The fire risks on board cargo ships are many and varied; for example, a fire in a cargo hold could be caused by a short circuit in a vehicle being transported by the vessel or by a fault in the electrical wiring of the hold lighting itself. It is therefore essential that appropriate procedures are in place to ensure that cargo hold lighting systems are switched off and, if necessary, isolated at the appropriate time to eliminate the risk of fire once loading operations have commenced.
In addition, breakages and seawater ingress can affect stability, and open decks can allow fire to spread quickly. In addition, tight schedules and short turnaround times in port mean that the crew may not have time to carry out all the necessary checks to reduce the risk of fire or to control the movement of loaded vehicles before the ship departs. In any case, it is extremely important to record the implementation of all safety procedures and implement systems to verify their implementation.
In a special study by the Swedish Club insurance club devoted to this issue, an explosion on board was analyzed, which occurred due to failure to comply with safety regulations during fumigation. The club draws attention to the need to strictly follow the instructions for using the fumigant. Since the holds are not ventilated for some time after fumigation, there may be a risk of excessive condensation of moisture inside, and in some cases even fogging or formation of drops. This can lead to damage to the cargo, as well as increase the risks of fire and explosion. Therefore, before fumigation, which is often carried out by specialized companies, it is necessary to take into account the weather conditions and the condition of the cargo, in particular the moisture content in the cargo.
In another incident, the Swedish Club points out that cargoes containing calcium hypochlorite and other oxidising solids, often used for swimming pool disinfection and textile treatment (bleaching or washing), are susceptible to self-heating and "runaway heating", which lead to rapid self-decomposition and the release of heat and gases, including oxygen. The effects of these processes in the hold can be similar to an explosion, and the heat and oxygen released can contribute to the spread of a fire.
In one case, a fire occurred because several group reflectors were switched on while cargo was lying on them, and the cargo caught fire from the hot lamps. The Swedish Club noted that there was no information on board about how the lighting circuits were connected, how the reflector system was supposed to work, and no records of their use. Many cargo ships have fixed group reflectors in their holds. Halogen lamps get very hot and can easily ignite flammable cargo such as grain, animal feed, wood chips, pulp and paper if they are too close to the light source.
Therefore, reflectors in holds must be properly insulated before loading. This is best done by removing fuses or other physical links in the electrical circuits so that they cannot be turned on even by mistake. On container ships, reflectors must be located in strictly defined places so that the heat they emit cannot heat up and ignite cargo or any other flammable substances. Reflectors on car carriers and ferries are usually fluorescent, which is unlikely to cause ignition of cargo located near them.
