The Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Large Ships) Regulations 1998

Fire pumps, fire main, water service pipes, hydrants, hoses and nozzles

3.—(1) Every ship of Class I shall be provided with appliances whereby at least two jets of water can reach any part of the ship normally accessible to the passengers or crew while the ship is being navigated and any store room and any part of any cargo space when empty.

(2) Every ship of Class I of 4,000 tons or over shall be provided with at least three fire pumps operated by power and every such ship of under 4,000 tons shall be provided with at least two such pumps. Each pump shall be capable of delivering at least one jet of water simultaneously from each of any two hydrants, hoses and nozzles provided in the ship and shall comply with the requirements of regulation 38.

(3) (a) In every ship of Class I of 1,000 tons or over the arrangement of the sea connections, pumps and the sources of power for operating them shall be such as will ensure that a fire in any one compartment will not put all the fire pumps out of action.

(b) If in any ship of Class I of less than 1,000 tons a fire in any one compartment could put all the fire pumps out of the action there shall be provided, in a position outside the machinery spaces, an independently driven power-operated emergency fire pump and its source of power and sea connection. Such a pump shall be capable of producing at least one jet of water simultaneously from each of any two hydrants and hoses through nozzles which comply with the requirements of regulation 40(5)(b), while simultaneously maintaining a pressure of at least 210 kPa at any hydrant in the ship.

(4) In every ship of Class I there shall be provided a fire main, water service pipes, hydrants, hoses and nozzles which shall be so arranged that they comply with the requirements of regulations 39 and 40 when all watertight doors and all doors in main vertical zone bulkheads are closed.

(5) In every ship of Class I at least one fire hose shall be provided for every hydrant fitted in compliance with these Regulations. Such hoses shall be used only for the purpose of extinguishing fires or for testing the fire-extinguishing appliances at fire drills and surveys.

(6) In every ship of Class I where in any machinery space of Category A, access is provided at a low level from an adjacent shaft tunnel, two hydrants fitted with hoses and nozzles shall be provided external to, but near the entrance to, that machinery space. Where such access is not provided from a tunnel but is provided from another space or spaces there shall be provided in one of those spaces two hydrants fitted with hoses and nozzles near the entrance to the machinery space of Category A. Such provisions need not be made when the tunnel or adjacent spaces are not part of an escape route.

(7) In every ship of Class I carrying more than 36 passengers, water from the fire main shall, as far as practicable, be kept immediately available by maintaining the pressure in the fire main or by providing an easily operable and readily accessible remote control for the fire pumps.

(8) In every ship of Class I carrying more than 36 passengers, all hose nozzles shall be of an approved dual-purpose type capable of producing a water-spray and a plain jet of water, and shall incorporate a shut-off facility.

(9) In every ship of Class I at least three water-fog applicators in addition to the nozzles required by these Regulations shall be provided in special category spaces.

(10) In every ship of Class I hydrants in machinery spaces shall be fitted with hoses having dual-purpose nozzles. Additionally, in respect of ships carrying more than 36 passengers, each machinery space of Category A shall be provided with at least two suitable water-fog applicators.