An officer was undertaking an inspection of the exterior fire hoses and their protective cabinets on a ship. The securing bracket of one cabinet was found to be badly corroded.
The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars (Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme) Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. This is one of these reports.
The fire hose was not secured within the cabinet, and it fell on to the deck when the cabinet door was opened.
A new rail was fabricated and a proper securing hanger for the hose installed.
Also read: Is your fire suppression system connected to the emergency power supply?
Advice from The Nautical Institute
- It is hard to imagine how such deterioration can pass monthly inspections without being sighted. Once again this speaks to the importance of looking ‘with new eyes’ when you are on board your ship.
- Fire equipment should be kept in perfect condition. If a fire starts, it will not be the moment to effect repairs.
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202521. A selection of the Mars Reports are also published in the SWZ|Maritime magazine. The Nautical Institute compiles these reports to help prevent maritime accidents. That is why they are also published (in full) on SWZ|Maritime’s website.
More reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are read only by the Mars coordinator and are treated in the strictest confidence. To submit a report, please use the Mars report form.
Also read: Major shipping carriers target cargo fires and losses together
