Fixed fire-fighting systems
CO₂, clean agent, foam, water mist, sprinkler and galley systems: quantity checks, release and alarm tests, blow-through testing of pipework and cylinder requalification.
The fixed system is what stands between an engine-room fire and the loss of the ship. It may sit unused for ten years, so the only way to be sure it will work is a proper annual service by people who know the system.
Wherever the rules allow, we test without discharging the extinguishing medium, and we let you know early when cylinders or hoses are approaching their ten-year limits, so those costs never come as a surprise.
Scope
The content of each cylinder is measured with a liquid level indicator or by weighing; release controls, time delay and alarms, main and distribution valves, flexible hoses, and blow-through testing of the pipework.
Tank level indicators, refrigeration units, safety valves and release arrangements.
HFC, FK-5-1-12 and inert gas systems: quantity and pressure checks, actuators, nozzles and room integrity issues.
Proportioners, valves, monitors and foam generators, plus a foam concentrate sample for laboratory analysis.
Pumps, pressure tanks, section valves, nozzles and alarms, together with flow and function tests.
Hood and deep-fat fryer systems, and local application water mist systems in machinery spaces.
Fixed dry powder systems on gas carriers: cylinders, propellant gas, nozzles and a powder sample checked for moisture and caking.
Removal of halon and other phased-out agents from the system and handover for certified recovery or destruction.
Filling, hydrostatic testing and requalification, with traceable records for every cylinder.
Intervals
| Equipment / task | Interval | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Annual inspection | 12 months | MSC.1/Circ.1432 (CO₂: MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1) |
| CO₂ quantity check (recharge below 90%) and blow-through test of the pipework | Passenger ships every 2 years ± 3 months; cargo ships at each intermediate, periodical or renewal survey | MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 |
| Internal inspection of CO₂ control valves | 5 years | MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 |
| Hydrostatic test of high-pressure CO₂ cylinders | At least 10% (including pilot cylinders) at 10 years; all cylinders by 20 years and every 10 years thereafter | MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 |
| Flexible hoses | Renewed at the interval set by the manufacturer, at the latest every 10 years | MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 |
| Foam concentrate analysis | First within 3 years of delivery, then annually | MSC.1/Circ.1312, MSC/Circ.670 |
What you receive
- Certificate per system, listing every cylinder with its serial number and content
- Cylinder test and requalification records
- Service report signed on board by the master or chief officer
- Photos and clear notes for every unit that fails inspection, together with a repair quotation
Applicable rules
- SOLAS II-2/10
- SOLAS II-2/14
- FSS Code chapters 5, 6 and 7
- MSC.1/Circ.1432
- MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1
- MSC.1/Circ.1312
- IACS UR Z17
- ISO 15371
Frequently asked questions
Does the CO₂ have to be discharged to test the system?
No. Cylinder content is measured with an ultrasonic liquid level indicator or by weighing, and release lines, time delays and alarms are tested without releasing the extinguishing medium.
Our cylinders are approaching ten years old. What does that mean?
At ten years, at least 10% of the high-pressure cylinders, including pilot cylinders, are hydrostatically tested; one cylinder failing means 50% are tested, and a further failure means all of them. Every cylinder must have been tested by the twentieth year, and retested every ten years thereafter. We plan the work accordingly, so that the required quantity of CO₂ remains available while cylinders are off the ship.