Survitec Awarded for Maritime Fire Safety Insights and Industry Risks

Survitec’s white paper on maritime fire safety risks, titled “Why Are the Fires Not Going Out? Unveiling the True Cost of Inadequate Fire Safety Inspections,” has been recognized with the Safety in Maritime (Marine) award at the IBJ Awards. The paper sheds light on the failures in fire safety practices that have led to a significant increase in shipboard fire incidents globally. It reveals that some ship operators are cutting costs post-COVID by relying on untrained crews for fire safety maintenance, resulting in avoidable system failures and substandard inspections.

Metkel Yohannes, director of Service & Rental Solutions at Survitec, highlighted the alarming rise in shipboard fires, which have increased by 17% year-on-year. He emphasized that shipboard fires are a leading cause of maritime losses and the most expensive source of marine insurance claims, accounting for over 20% of total losses. Despite advancements in fire detection and protection technologies, the industry continues to face high levels of fire safety deficiencies, underscoring the need for improved oversight and maintenance practices.

The white paper includes examples of incidents such as an engine room fire caused by a fault in the high-expansion foam firefighting system and a bulk carrier fire where more than half of the recently inspected CO2 cylinders failed to activate. It also raises concerns about the risks associated with alternative fuels and lithium-ion batteries, urging the maritime industry to adopt higher quality control benchmarks and ensure that all fire safety inspections meet rigorous international standards. Yohannes stressed the importance of accredited partners with expertise to ensure safety systems perform effectively, emphasizing that anything less poses a threat to crew safety and vessel integrity.

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