Fire Safety and IMO Conventions

IMO's Four Pillars

• SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) addresses safety in response to the Titanic disaster.
• STCW sets standards for seafarer training, certification, and watchkeeping.
• MARPOL is concerned with preventing marine pollution.
• MLC (Maritime Labour Convention) functions as the seafarers' bill of rights.

The Fire Triangle

• The fire triangle illustrates the three elements needed for combustion: oxygen, heat, and fuel.

Fire Classes

• Class A fires involve ordinary combustibles like wood, paper, and cloth.
• Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as oil, grease, and gasoline.
• Class C fires involve live electrical equipment.
• Class D fires involve combustible metals like magnesium and aluminum.
• Class K fires involve cooking oils and fats in commercial kitchens.

Fire Class Extinguishers

• Class A fires can be combatted with dry powder, foam, or water.
• Class B fires can be combatted with dry powder, foam, or CO2.
• Class C fires can be combatted with dry powder or CO2.
• Class D fires can be combatted with dry powder.
• Class K fires can be combatted with wet chemicals.

MARPOL Annexes

• Annex I regulates pollution prevention by oil.
• Annex II regulates control of pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk.
• Annex III regulates preventing pollution by harmful substances carried at sea in packaged form.
• Annex IV regulates pollution prevention by sewage from ships.
• Annex V regulates pollution prevention by garbage from ships.
• Annex VI regulates prevention of air pollution from ships.
• Annex VII covers ballast water management.

COLREG Rule 5: Lookout

• Every vessel must maintain a proper lookout using sight and hearing, along with all available means, to assess the situation and risk of collision.
• Proper lookout is crucial for applying COLREG rules and regulations.

COLREG Rule 6: Safe Speed

• Vessels must always proceed at a safe speed to take appropriate action and prevent collisions.
• Determining safe speed involves considering prevailing circumstances, conditions, traffic, and visibility.

Navigation

• Navigation is the science of safely and efficiently maneuvering a ship between locations.

Navigation Types

• Terrestrial navigation relies on landmarks and coastal features.
• Electronic navigation uses electronic systems like GPS.
• Celestial navigation uses celestial bodies to determine position.

Ship Measurements

• Depth is the vertical distance from the waterline to the seabed.
• Draft is the vertical distance from the waterline to the ship’s keel.
• Under Keel Clearance (UKC) is the vertical distance between the ship’s keel and the seabed.
• Freeboard is the vertical distance from the waterline to the main deck.
• Air draft is the vertical distance from the waterline to the ship’s highest point.
• Length Overall (LOA) is the longitudinal distance between the forward and aft-most ends of the ship.
• Length Between Perpendiculars (LBP) is the longitudinal distance between the forward and aft collision bulkheads.

Latitude and Longitude

• Latitude measures the angular distance north or south from the equator between 0° and 90°.
• Longitude measures the angular distance east or west from the prime meridian between 0° to 180°.

Plotting

• Plotting involves acquiring and recording a vessel's positions on charts to track its voyage.

Bridge Pyrotechnics

• Hand flares: 6 units, 15,000 candela, 60-second burn time
• Rocket parachute flares: 12 units, 30,000 candela, 40-second duration
• Buoyant smoke signals: 2 units, one on port and one on starboard
• Must have at least one line-throwing appliance.

Lifeboat Pyrotechnics (Each)

• 6 hand flares
• 4 rocket parachute flares
• 2 buoyant smoke signals

Line Throwing Apparatus

• The apparatus must have a minimum of 4 projectiles, each capable of carrying a line at least 230 meters in calm waters.

Initial Stability

• GM (Metacentric Height) is a measure of a ship's initial stability.
• GM = KM – KG, where KM is the distance from the keel to the metacenter and KG is the height of the vessel's center of gravity above the keel.

COLREGS Lights and Shapes: Vessel Not Under Command (NUC)

• During the day, display two black balls in a vertical line.
• At night, display two all-round red lights in a vertical line.

Vessel Restricted in Ability to Maneuver (RAM)

• By day, display three shapes in a vertical line: a ball (top), a diamond (middle), and a ball (bottom).
• By night, display three all-round lights in a vertical line: red (top), white (middle), and red (bottom).

Dangerous Goods Signal

• The "Bravo" flag indicates dangerous goods onboard.

Fire Extinguishing Methods

• Cooling removes heat by lowering the material's temperature below ignition point, often using water on Class A fires.
• Smothering cuts off oxygen supply, using blankets or cloths.
• Starvation removes fuel.
• Inhibition is the use of dry chemical powder extinguishing agents to break the chemical chain reaction.

Key COLREG Rule

• Maintaining a proper lookout by sight and hearing to fully assess situations and collision risks at all times.
• Rule 2 Responsibilities states that compliance doesn't exonerate any neglect or required precaution.

Navigation and Safety Systems

• ARPA is an Automatic Radar Plotting Aid.
• ECDIS is an Electronic Chart Display Information System.
• AIS is an Automatic Identification System.
• EPIRB is an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.

Safety and Management Codes

• ISM Code is the International Safety Management Code.
• BRM is Bridge Resource Management.
• ISPS Code is the International Ship and Port Security Code, with levels 1, 2, and 3 indicating increasing security risks.

Region A Nations

• Includes Australia, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, and Asia (excluding the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea).

Region B Nations

• Includes North America, South America, Central America, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.

IALA Buoyage System Marks

• Lateral, cardinal, isolated danger, safe water, special, and new danger marks.

Stern Light

• A stern light is a white light seen from behind or nearly behind.

SOLAS Chapters

• Chapter I covers general provisions.
• Chapter II-1 covers construction, structure, subdivision and stability, machinery, and electrical installations.
• Chapter II-2 covers construction, fire protection, fire detection, and fire extinction.
• Chapter III covers life-saving appliances and arrangements.
• Chapter IV covers radiocommunications, including EPIRB, NAVTEX, GMDSS, SART, and VHF RADIO.
• Chapter V covers safety of navigation.
• Chapter VI covers carriage of cargoes and oil fuels.
• Chapter VII covers carriage of dangerous goods.
• Chapter VIII covers nuclear ships.
• Chapter IX covers management for the safe operation of ships.
• Chapter X covers safety measures for high-speed craft.
• Chapter XI-1 covers special measures to enhance maritime safety.
• Chapter XI-2 covers special measures to enhance maritime security.
• Chapter XII covers additional safety measures for bulk carriers.
• Chapter XIII covers verification of compliance.
• Chapter XIV covers safety measures for ships operating in polar waters.

Liferaft Deployment

• The Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) allows a liferaft to deploy when submerged in water.

Vector vs. Raster Charts

• Vector charts (ENC) are computer-generated.
• Raster charts are scanned copies of paper charts.

Compass Points

• A compass has 32 points, with each point representing 11.25 degrees.

Emission Control Areas (ECAs)

• ECAs, or SECAs, are sea areas with strict controls to minimize airborne emissions from ships under MARPOL Annex VI.

Incinerator

• Incinerators reduce waste disposal costs by burning solid and liquid wastes produced during normal ship operations.