Container liner A.P. Moller-Maersk has opted for full-scale implementation of Viking’s HydroPen system, designed for direct firefighting in stacked shipping containers onboard commercial vessels. The system will be installed on the entire Maersk-owned fleet.
The contract represents the single largest HydroPen order for Viking Life-Saving Equipment to date.
Also read: ‘Ultra-large container ships bring unanticipated fire risks’
Fighting fire at the source
The HydroPen is driven purely by water pressure through an attached deck fire hose. When water pressure is activated, a turbine will drive the HydroPen drilling unit until it penetrates the container door, whereupon the system will spray water into the container to extinguish the fire directly at the source.
In the case of a fire at height in the container stack, the HydroPen system can be deployed using a telescopic device. Beyond water, the system is compatible with foam or even CO2. Also, it is intuitive to use and requires only a minimum of training and maintenance.
Also read: ‘Ship fires among biggest safety concerns for the shipping industry’
Commenting on the benefits of the HydroPen system, which was brought to market to tackle the rising threat which container fires continue to pose to the industry, Viking Product Manager Lasse Boesen comments: ‘Useable on or below deck, HydroPen has increasingly been recognised for its usefulness on board container ships of all sizes, and it has seen action in real situations.’
