The Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator on 1 November 2023 published a marine notice referring to the fire extinguishing equipment requirements for paint and flammable liquid lockers per SOLAS II-2/10.6.3.
This Marine Notice (MN) has been streamlined and supersedes Rev. 8/06. It does not contain any new requirements.
Applicability
This MN applies to all ships and mobile offshore units with a keel laid, or at a similar stage of construction, before 1 January 2009.
Definitions
A suitable Fixed Extinguishing System means a system designed to a recognized standard as required by SOLAS, Regulation II-2/10.6.3.1 as follows:
- Medium Capacity carbon dioxide for at least 40% of the space's gross volume
- Dry powder system for at least 0.5 kg powder /cubic meter of space gross volume
- Water spray or sprinkler system with at least 5 liters/square meter of deck area/minute
A portable Fire Extinguisher means an extinguisher which is designed to be carried and operated by hand and which has a maximum fully-charged weight of 23 kg. Refer to FSS Code, Chapter 4.
Requirements
1.0 Vessels with keel laid before 1 February 1992:
- 1.1 Lockers of 10m2 (i.e., 5m x 2m) or less in the deck area - one portable fire extinguisher located outside the entrance to the space.
- 1.2 Lockers greater than 10m2, but less than 20m2 in deck area - two portable fire extinguishers located outside the entrance to the space.
- 1.3 Lockers greater than 20m2 in deck area - a suitable fixed fire extinguishing system as defined below.
2.0 Vessels with a keel laid after 1 February 1992 and before 1 February 1998:
- 2.1 Lockers of 10m2 (i.e. 5m x 2m) or less in the deck area - one portable fire extinguisher located outside the entrance to the space.
- 2.2 Lockers greater than 10m2 in deck area - a suitable fixed fire extinguishing system as described below.
3.0 Vessels with keel laid after 1 February 1998 and before 1 July 2002:
- 3.1 Lockers of 4m2 (i.e., 2m x 2m) or less in the deck area - one portable fire extinguisher located outside the entrance to the space.
- 3.2 Lockers greater than 4m2 in deck area - a suitable fixed fire extinguishing system as described below.
4.0 Vessels with keel laid after 1 July 2002 and before 1 January 2009:*
- 4.1 Lockers and storerooms (having a deck area of 4m2 or more), mail and baggage rooms, species rooms, workshops (not part of machinery spaces, galleys) - one portable fire extinguisher placed outside or near the entrance to that space may also be considered as part of the requirement for the space in which it is located.
- 4.2 For other spaces in which flammable liquids are stowed the minimum number of extinguishers must be in accordance with SOLAS regulation II-2/10.6.3.
*For guidance on the number and arrangement of portable fire extinguishers, refer to IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1275, as corrected by MSC.1/Circ.1275/Corr.1, which may also be used for ships constructed before 1 January 2009.
For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):
Fire Extinguishing Requirements for Paint and Flammable Liquid Lockers
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