More tugboats are being built with FiFi1 class fire-fighting systems for emergency response
Tugs require enhanced fire-fighting equipment as they are often the prime responder to ship and terminal fires. These systems are tested monthly, as witnessed by Tug Technology and Business, to ensure they remain operational when required in a crisis.
Fire-fighting systems are approved by classification societies with notations of FiFi1, FiFi2, FiFi half or FiFi0 provided to tugboats for their systems.
Fire-fighting systems incorporate a pump, often powered by one of the tug’s generators or main engines, and one or two monitors to propel water into the fire. Foam and independent generators to supply power to the pump can also be added.
Marsis is a major supplier of fire-fighting systems to tugs built in Turkey and worldwide. It secured contracts to supply 22 tugs in 2019 and another six in Q1 2020, says sales and marketing engineer Gorkem Kahraman.
He explains how some tug owners are going beyond FiFi1 requirements for their vessels’ fire-fighting capabilities. “We manufacture fire-fighting systems for all class notations and rules, but we mostly supply FiFi1 for tugboats,” he says.
“The main requirement is to meet to classification rules, in addition we are often asked to add foam to the system,” says Mr Kahraman.
Foam is used for fire suppression, to cool the fire and to coat the fuel. This prevents contact between fuel and oxygen, suppressing the combustion.
Surfactants used should produce foam in concentrations of less than 1%. Other components of fire-retardant foams are organic solvents, such as trimethyl-trimethylene glycol and hexylene glycol, and foam stabilisers of lauryl alcohol and corrosion inhibitors.
Marsis supplies integrated fire-fighting units “with all necessary hardware for the system” says Mr Kahraman. This includes unclassed systems.
“We receive FiFi half requests for systems delivering water at a rate of 1,200 m3/hr from owners and terminal operators,” he says. “And we also receive request for FiFi0 systems for smaller vessels.”
Newbuilds ordered
Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) has ordered two fire-fighting vessels with advanced propulsion and FiFi technology for greater manoeuvrability and capacity than previous emergency response boats.
Its subsidiary Flotte Hamburg will operate these two fire-fighting vessels after completion by Netherlands-headquartered Damen Shipyards by the end of 2020.
These two new vessels will primarily be used to fight ship fires in the Port of Hamburg and to supply fire-fighting water to industrial plants located at the port.
From Q1 2021, these vessels will also be used for HPA fleet management tasks, such as bridge inspections and material transports.
They will have a water cannon capacity of 30,000 l/min over 110 m and have accommodation for 16 fire-fighters.
Schottel is providing two rudderpropellers type SRP 150 L fixed pitch (FP) thrusters, rated at 380 kW each with a propeller diameter of 1.10 m and a transverse thruster type STT 60 FP for each vessel, each rated at 100 kW and driven by an electric motor.
This thruster configuration provides the fireboats with free running speeds of 12 knots.
Rudderpropeller SRP 150 are equipped with Schottel’s new highly efficient SDC40 nozzle.
FiFi classification guide
Class notation |
FiFi1 |
FiFi2 |
Pumps |
1 or 2 |
2 or 4* |
Pump capacity (m3/hr) |
2,400 |
7,200 |
Monitors |
2 |
2 or 4* |
Monitor capacity (m3/hr) |
1,200 |
1,800 |
Throw height (m) |
45 |
70 or 110* |
Throw length (m) |
120 |
150 or 180* |
* Depends on class society requirements
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