Interferry Says Vessel Differences Need Consideration in Fire Regulations

On March 9, the IMO sub-committee on Ship Systems and Equipment convened for its 12th session (SSE12), and DNV reports that the action plan to evaluate the adequacy of fire protection, detection and extinction arrangements in vehicle, special category and ro-ro spaces was revised in order to reduce the fire risk of ships carrying new-energy vehicles.

The group agreed to give priority to the development of the following guidelines before developing any draft amendments to SOLAS:

• Interim guidelines on fire safety measures for pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs)

• Interim guidelines for video monitoring and detection systems.

The work will be progressed in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027. Any agreed draft SOLAS amendments are expected to enter into force on January 1, 2032, at the earliest.

Ferry organization Interferry has informed its members of SSE12 outcomes, saying the most relevant issue was fires on ro-ro decks. Interferry was heavily engaged in the comprehensive amendments on fire protection for ro-ro passenger ships, adopted by the IMO in 2024. Following that work, the IMO now puts its focus on fires inside containers and on cargo decks of vehicle carriers.

While electric vehicle fires are also highly