18Fire-smothering gas in cargo spaces

18 Fire-smothering gas in cargo spaces

(1) Subject to this regulation, a ship of 1,000 tons or over shall be furnished with appliances by means of which fire-smothering gas can be readily conveyed by a permanent piping system into any cargo space in the ship.

(2) The appliances referred to in subregulation (1) shall be capable of supplying and conveying a minimum volume of free gas equal to 30 per cent of the gross volume of the largest cargo space in the ship that is capable of being effectively closed.

(a) there is available in a ship, whilst it is in commission, a boiler or boilers capable of evaporating one kilogram of steam per hour for each 0.75 cubic metre of the gross volume of the largest cargo space in the ship that is capable of being effectively closed; and

(b) the Authority is satisfied that:

(i) the steam will be available immediately and will not be dependent upon the lighting of the ship’s boiler or boilers;

(ii) sufficient steam for the fire-smothering installation will be supplied at all times together with the normal requirements of the ship; and

(iii) adequate arrangements have been made for the supply of the water to be used in the fire-smothering installation;

the ship may, instead of the appliances required to be furnished by subregulation (1), be furnished with appliances by means of which steam may be conveyed by a permanent piping system from the boiler or boilers into any cargo space in the ship.

(4) A cargo space of a ship of less than 1,000 tons shall be furnished with such fire appliances as the Authority directs.