Fires on Yachts and Superyachts The Risks and Solutions

Agenda:

Defining yachts and superyachts

Fires on yachts, fires on superyachts

Statistics

What are the risks?

What are the solutions?

What is a Superyacht?.......good question

• Technically, greater than 24m is a “Large Yacht” LY3 applies

• Commercially, brokers will market anything over 40m as a ‘superyacht’.

• Practically, a yacht crew would laugh at crew on a 40m who said they were on a ‘superyacht’

• The average LOA is now 52m. So now need to be over 90m LOA to make in into top 100 yachts compared to 44m a decade ago

• 50m plus can be considered a superyacht, as by the time you get to that size you’re in a pretty exclusive club.

• Megayacht and Gigayacht are terms applied to 100 metre plus yachts

So a superyacht is….

• Luxury yacht with a loadline length of 24 metres or above

• Either private use, only by their owners

• Or private and part time commercial charter

• Others on full time charter

• 80% motor powered and 20% sail

• For the purpose of this exercise; any vessel under 24 metres used

for leisure or pleasure activities

• Also called simply boats or pleasure craft

• Construction usually fibreglass, composite or wood, some

aluminium and a few steel

• 50% motor powered 50% sail

What is a Yacht then?

Difference between Yachts and Superyachts• Construction rules are very different

• Operating regulations are different

• Licensing of crew and operators is very different

• Lifesaving and firefighting regulations are different

• Larger Superyachts at 3000 GT and over fall under the IMO commercial shipping regulations SOLAS

International Yacht Regulations

• All yachts carrying 13 to 36 passengers to

comply with PYC, (Passenger Yacht Code)

• Commercial yachts LY3, (Large Yacht Code)

Equivalence to SOLAS (commercial ships)

• Private yachts up to 12 passengers – No

regulations at all?

REG Yacht Code• The REG Yacht Code incorporates various Large Yacht Code

versions since inception in 1997 and the PYC

• Common Annexes cover areas not specifically addressed in

previous versions.

• Battery systems.

• Fuel in fixed tanks

• Over-side working systems

• Requirements for occasional workers

• Drills and Exercises

• Applies to new vessels constructed after 1 January 2019

FIRES ON SHIPS - RULESHISTORY OF SOLAS FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

Sinking of the

Titanic in 1912

1914 and 1929

SOLAS

Conventions

Fire on board SS Morro

Castle in 1934

– 134 fatalities

1948 and 1967 SOLAS

Conventions


1974 SOLAS ConventionCame into effect in 1980 - still in force today

Separated the fire requirements into a

Separate chapters:

• SOLAS chapter II (Construction)

• Fire protection

• Fire detection

• Fire extinction

Further revised 1981 & 1983


1992 Fire Safety Amendments

In 1990, a fire aboard the

Scandinavian Star passenger

ship left 158 persons dead.


1996 Amendments – FTP CodeFire Test Procedures

• Non-combustibility test

• Smoke and toxicity test

• Test for ''A'', ''B'' and ''F'' class divisions

• Test for fire door control systems

• Test for surface flammability

• Test for primary deck coverings

• Test for vertically supported textiles and films

• Test for upholstered furniture and

• Test for bedding components.


SOLAS 2000 Amendments Chapter II-2

(Entry into force: 1 July 2002)

PART B - PREVENTION OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION

• Regulation 4 - Probability of ignition

• Regulation 5 - Fire growth potential

• Regulation 6 - Smoke generation potential & toxicity


2007 Amendments – Fire Safety Systems Code

• Separate from carriage and other

statutory requirements

• May be applied in a more user-friendly

manner by equipment manufacturers,

systems engineers, etc..


Structural Fire Protection Classes

Temperature to rise no

more than 180°C

Temperature to rise no

more than 140°C

• class "A-60" 60 min




INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONSCOMMERCIAL YACHTS UP TO 12 PASSENGERS

Yachts Up to 12 Passengers Commercial Ships

GT <500

(LY3)

GT ≥500

(LY3)

L ≥ 85m

(LY3)

SOLAS – cargo

ships

SOLAS – passenger

ships

Cat A machinery spaces and

Sauna fire rating

A30 A60 A60 A60 A60

MVZ and enclosed stairways No Yes Yes No Yes

No. Independent fire pumps 1 2 2 2 2 GT<4000

3 GT≥4000

Restrictions on combustible

material in interior outfitting

No No No Restricted to 45 MJ/m2 of calorific value and

total volume equivalent to 2.5 mm on

combined areas (walls, ceiling and lining)

How big is a motor yacht of just less 500GT?

About 50m maximum

And 3000 GT?

About 85 to 90m

INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS - FIRE PROTECTION

- A30 fire rating

- One independent fire pump

- No restrictions on combustible material in

internal outfitting

- No MVZ and enclosed stairways

COMMERCIAL YACHTS UP TO 12

PASSENGERS (LY3)COMMERCIAL SHIPS (SOLAS)

A60 Cat A machinery spaces and Sauna fire rating

Two or more independent fire pumps

Restrictions on combustible material in interior

outfitting

Passenger ship only - MVZ and enclosed stairways

LENGTH [m]

GR

OS

S T

ON

NA

GE

[G

T]

≈50 85

≈3

00

05

00

A60 Cat A machinery spaces

and Sauna fire rating

Two independent fire pumps

No restrictions on combustible

material in interior outfitting

(io) MVZ and enclosed

stairways

• Made commercial shipping much safer

• Superyachts and yachts on charter comply with the same rules hence they are also much safer

• The larger yachts and superyachts suffer less fires because of the regulations.

• Less risk for Underwriters

INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS – WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?

INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS - FIRE PROTECTION & SOLAS

PRIVATE YACHTS “pleasure yachts not engaged in trade”

With less than 12 passengers onboard

No requirement

to comply with

any

regulations.....?

So what about the smaller yachts, boats etc?

• Lack of regulatory requirements – increased risk, more fires

• Less experienced crews, “weekend sailors” - more groundings, capsizing and more fires

• Portable gas appliances used, galley cookers, heaters etc.

• Fire detection systems and fire protection systems not mandatory

• None or little crew training in fire fighting

• Highest frequency of all yacht fires are in the 10 to 20 metre range

Relative Yacht Population Variation (number basis)

CASE REPORTS

Casualty-Type Distribution | by Number

CASE REPORTS

Casualty-Type Distribution | by Cost

CASE REPORTS

Causes of Yacht fires

• 26% of fires are caused by “Off-Boat” sources

• 20% of fires are due to “Engine Electrical”

• 15% of fires are due to “Other DC Electrical”

• 9% of fires are due to “Other Engine”

• 8% of fires are due to “Batteries”

• The remainder are galley fires, petrol filling, smoking etc.

Potential maintenance issues

Marina Fires

Boatyard Fires

Lürssen Superyacht Fire – Bremen Sept 2018

PROJECT SASSI – Before the Fire

approximate loss of $700 million

Nakilat Damen Shipyard Fire – Qatar August 2019

• CONSTELLATION, 80m Oceanco-built

• MARACUNDA, 52m CRN

• AL ADAID, 36m Riva

Reported on Superyacht News websites in the public domain it is

thought, although not confirmed that the yachts;

Were completely destroyed by a fire in a shipyard shed

Fire at MB92 in Barcelona –Sept 2019

Refit and Repair Yard Fire Risks

• Fire risks – vessels closely grouped together

• Painting involving highly flammable solvent materials

• Sub contractors, lack of safety procedures

• Cutting gases and welding

• Electrical cabling and equipment

• Open and unprotected fire zones

Solutions to reduce risk

• Regulations to encompass smaller yachts

• Mandatory training and certification of yacht owners

• Marina risk assessments

• Ship and boatyard risk assessments (JH143)………

Shipyard/ Boatyard Risk Assessments (JH143)

• The JH143 risk assessment is a proven tool in reducing shipyard

risk, since the early 2000’s there has been a significant decrease

in shipyard losses.

• Initial assessment after a thorough audit

• Recommendations for improvements

• Monitoring for continual compliance and improvement

Fires on Yachts and Superyachts The Risks and Solutions

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