Classification society DNV GL launched its latest notation on fire safety awarded to the new MSC Gűlsűn class of ultra large container ships which have an array of new fire safety measures built into the design.
Features such as large capacity firefighting hoses situated high on the towers that can spray water for around 100m and can swivel to cover all parts of the ship have been added to the ship designs. In addition, the new vessels are capable of flooding individual holds to control fire out breaks. And later vessels are being tested with thermal imaging cameras that sense changes in temperature for early alerts to fire hazards.
All these changes to the vessel design go beyond the requirements of current regulations.
The new notation for MSC Gűlsűn is FCS (c Hazid FF HF) which was officially announced at a DNV GL press conference in London on 18 February. In this notation HAZID alludes to hazard identification; (FD): enhanced fire detection which MSC Gűlsűn is not yet fitted with; FF stands for enhanced firefighting; HF firefighting by hold flooding.
“This is the first application of this notation, which we developed with MSC,” said DNV GL CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, who added that this notation “goes beyond SOLAS [Safety Of Life At Sea rules],” alluding to the fact that the design regulations have not kept pace with the industry.
Nick Savvides
Managing Editor
