The American Club has published some lessons learned from an incident where a general cargo vessel’s generator experienced a catastrophic failure while underway resulting in a fire that spread immediately to the bilges under the generator but couldn’t be fixed due to unfamiliarity with the fire extinguisher.
A senior and a junior engineer were in the engine room and both heard a loud bang. The two engineers investigated and saw the fire which quickly spread to the bilges. The automated alarm system sounded shortly after the fire started. The senior engineer saw the fire was in the bilges and knew that the foam fire extinguisher was appropriate to use. Continue reading “Fire spread due to unfamiliarity with fire extinguisher equipment”
Interest in emerging shipboard battery technologies has seen a rise in recent years. The possibility for reducing energy costs and environmental impact makes battery technology valuable for maritime use. Batteries can be used in a wide variety of applications, like peak-shaving in hybrid systems to help engines work at optimal loading and increase efficiency.
The UK’s 
UK P&I Club has released a video describing the dangers of refrigeration machinery and other improper maintenance procedures following an enclosed space casualty. During a third-party survey, the surveyor made a request to test the emergency fire pump, which was arranged with the assistance of the chief engineer. The emergency fire pump was located in a recessed well in the steering gear compartment, approximately 3 metres deep and accessed by an inclined stairway.