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ADOPTED: New SOLAS & FSS Requirements for Ro-Ro Passenger Ship Weather Decks

The IMO Maritime Safety Committee held its 108th session from May 15-24 (MSC 108). During this session, new SOLAS regulations and Fire Safety Systems Code (FSS Code) were adopted.

Among the new regulations, ro-ro passenger ships (ro-pax) will soon be required to protect the ship’s weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles to be protected by fire detectors and water-based fire monitors.

Here is a summary of how the new regulations affect new-build ships starting 1 Jan 2026, and existing ships built before 1 Jan 2026:

SHIPS BUILT ON/AFTER 1 JAN 2026

The following three Paragraphs relate to weather deck and structural fire protection for ro-ro passenger (ro-pax) ships built on or after January 1, 2026.

Fire Detection & Fire Alarm Systems

New SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 4.1.4 reads,

In passenger ships, a fixed fire detection and fire alarm system shall be provided for the area on the weather deck intended for the carriage of vehicles. The fixed fire detection system shall be capable of rapidly detecting the onset of the fire anywhere on the area. The type of detectors and their spacing and location shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration, taking into account the effects of weather conditions, cargo obstruction and other relevant factors. Different settings may be used for specific operation sequences, such as during loading or unloading and during voyage, in order to reduce the false alarms.

SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 4.1.4, adopted May 2024 at MSC 108

Fire Extinction

New SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 6 reads, in relevant part,

The requirements of paragraph 6.2 shall apply to ro-ro passenger ships constructed on or after 1 January 2026. Passenger ships with vehicle, special category or ro-ro spaces constructed before 1 January 2026 shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs 6.2.3 not later than the first survey after 1 January 2028.)”

6.2 Fixed water-based fire-extinguishing on weather decks intended for carriage of vehicles

6.2.1 In passenger ships, a fixed water-based fire-extinguishing system based on monitor(s) shall be installed in order to cover weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles. The monitor(s) shall comply with the provisions of the Fire Safety Systems Code.

SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 6, adopted May 2024 at MSC 108

Structural Fire Protection

SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 5.3, adopted May 2024 at MSC 108, reads

5.3 Arrangement of weather deck intended for the carriage of vehicles

5.3.1 Appropriate arrangements shall be made so that a fully developed fire on weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles does not endanger:

.1 stowage areas for survival craft;

.2 embarkation stations and assembly stations including access to these; and

.3 accommodation spaces, control stations and normally occupied service spaces in superstructures and deckhouses adjacent to the weather deck.

SOLAS II-2/20 Paragraph 5.3, adopted May 2024 at MSC 108

New FSS Code

New FSS Code Chapter 7, Paragraph 2.5, reads

2.5 Fixed water-based fire-extinguishing on ro-ro passenger ships’ weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles.

This chapter details the specification of fixed water-based fire-extinguishing on ro-ro passenger ships having weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles as required by chapter II-2 of the Convention. The requirements of this chapter shall apply to ro-ro passenger ships constructed on or after 1 January 2026.

2.5.1 The protected area shall be the entire length and width of the weather deck intended for the carriage of vehicles. The fixed monitor(s) shall be capable of delivering water to:

.1 the area of weather decks intended for carriage of vehicles; and

.2 the area, including superstructure boundaries located up to 8.0 m, measured horizontally, from the area intended for vehicle storage, or the next vertical boundaries, whichever is less.

2.5.2 The combined capacity of all fixed monitors shall be minimum 2.0 L/min per square metre of the protected area, but in no case shall the output of any monitor be less than 1,250 L/min. Even distribution of water shall be ensured.

2.5.3 The distance from the monitor to the farthest extremity of the protected area forward of that monitor shall not be more than 75% of the monitor throw in still air conditions.

2.5.4 Each monitor shall be located outside the area which it protects, in a safe position, with access not likely to be cut off in case of fire.

Monitors shall be installed in positions which allow for unobstructed water coverage with vehicles stowed to maximum capacity of the weather deck. However, areas that cannot be covered by water monitors shall be protected by water nozzles. Nozzles shall be designed and installed taking into account weather conditions and provide 5.0 L/min per square metre for the area they cover and have release controls in a position being accessible in case of a fire.

FSS Code, Chapter 7, Paragraph 2.5 (Adopted May, 2024)

Ships Built Before 1 Jan 2026:

The following new SOLAS II/2/20 Paragraph 6.2.3 will soon apply to existing ships and all ships built before 1 January 2026. It will require that the weather deck be protected by fixed fire detection and fire monitors.

Passenger ships with vehicle, special category or ro-ro spaces constructed before 1 January 2026 shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs 6.2.3 not later than the first survey after 1 January 2028. The relevant paragraphs read:

Fire Detection

2.4 Fire detection on weather decks: A fixed fire detection and fire alarm system should be provided for weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles. The fixed fire detection system should be capable of rapidly detecting the onset of fire on the weather deck. The type of detectors, spacing, and location should be to the satisfaction of the Administration, taking into account the effects of weather, cargo obstruction and other relevant factors. Different settings may be used for specific operation sequences, such as during loading or unloading and during voyage, in order to reduce the false alarms.

MSC.1/CIRCULAR.1615, 26 June, 2019

Fire Monitors

For passenger ships built before 1 January 2026, a fixed water-based fire-extinguishing system based on monitor(s) shall be installed in order to protect areas on weather decks intended for the carriage of vehicles. Monitors shall be located in positions which ensure unobstructed protection of vehicles in the area on the weather deck intended for carriage for vehicles, as far as practicable. Operation of monitors shall be ensured by safe access ways or remote control not to be impaired by a fire in the area protected by that monitor. Capacity of each monitor shall be at least 1,250 L/min. The Administration may permit lower flow rates when the required rate is not practical given the size and arrangement of the ship. The Administration may also permit alternative arrangements for ships that have already installed a fixed water-based fire-extinguishing system based on monitor(s) prior to 1 January 2026.

SOLAS II-2/20, Paragraph 6.2.3, adopted May 2024 (MSC 108)

CONCLUSIONS

The result of this new regulation is that ship owners and operators should begin soon planning for and installing fixed fire detectors and must install fire monitors to protect the weather decks of all ro-ro passenger ships that are not already so protected. And while they must comply by January 1, 2028, delaying action only will result in interim risk to the lives of passengers and safety of the ship, as well as potential civil liability in the event of a fire.

Note that autonomous fire monitors, which combine the fire detection system with the remote control fire monitors, provide extremely rapid and reliable fire suppression on weather decks. Typically, these systems commence suppression in under 15 seconds, whereas crew may take 5-12 minutes or more to commence suppression. When it comes to successful fire suppression, minimizing the time to suppress the fire is critical, because fire grows exponentially. A delay of 5+ minutes is likely to have grown out of control. Autonomous systems ensure immediate suppression of the fire at and around its source, keeping the fire from spreading and containing it, if not extinguishing the fire very quickly.

Unifire AB of Sweden manufactures state-of-the-art autonomous fire monitors for weather deck protection. The system is called FlameRanger. FlameRanger meets the requirements of the new SOLAS II-2/20 regulations and FSS Code, and has been successfully, thoroughly and scientifically tested within the recent and rigorous LASH FIRE research project for the improvement of ro-ro passenger ship fire safety. For more information, contact Unifire (https://unifire.com/).

The new SOLAS Regulations and FSS Code were approved in June, 2023, and are expected to be adopted in May, 2024. In sort, the new provisions will require that all ro-ro passenger ship weather decks be protected by fire detection and fire monitors.

The presentation also summarizes the key findings of the LASH FIRE (lashfire.eu) 3-year research project exploring state-of-the-art equipment and techniques for improving fire safety on weather decks of ro-ro / ro-pax ships. Unifire was a partner in the work packages of the study relating to fire detection and fire suppression on weather decks, and Mr. James was a co-author of a number of the reports related to these topics.