Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (February 2024)

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Feature

Passenger Vessel Safety ume is even more eye-opening. The trade association In- ect seeking to signi? cantly reduce the risk of ? res on board terferry, which represents ferry operators and businesses ro-ro (roll on–roll off) ships. Corrigan said that Interferry’s worldwide, calculates that ferries in 2019 globally carried Fire Protection Working Group was a primary source for 4.27 billion passengers and 373 million vehicles (cars, bus- interaction with the ro-ro industry. He said LASH has es and trailers) on 15,400 ferry vessels. published numerous reports and advisories about ways to

Mike Corrigan is Interferry’s CEO, based in Canada. improve vessel safety.

Corrigan was asked about passenger vessel safety issues Corrigan said that one key highlight was evaluating the that are top concerns for ferry operators at the start of ef? cacy of conventional seawater drencher systems in re- 2024. On an international level he noted work to increase lation to battery electric vehicle (BEV) ? res. LASH Fire operational safety in developing countries, to make it as researchers tested a ? xed water-based extinguishing system safe as ferry service in developed nations. Interferry has a on a simulated ro-ro deck with a thermal runaway ? re in “FerrySafe initiative” that helps operators in various coun- a BEV. This work showed that the drencher system was tries. He cited recent program successes in the Philippines. capable of containing the ? re and the conclusion that the

Projects will start soon in Africa. overall risk of carrying BEVs should be considered equiva-

Regarding ? re safety, Interferry has worked closely with lent or lower than that of internal combustion engine ve- the European LASH Fire project which got underway in hicles (ICEV), providing the drencher system is correctly 2019 and wrapped up its work at the end of August this year. operated and designed in accordance with SOLAS (Safety

LASH stands for “Legislative Assessment for Safety Haz- of Life at Sea) demands. Another work product is a 39- ards of Fire.” LASH Fire was an international research proj- page set of recommendations for decision-making about

Workforce issues remain a top concern for passenger vessel operators. © Hesitantpatcha / Adobe Stock 26 | MN February 2024