In recent years, fire accidents on Ro-Ro ships have led to numerous fatalities and significant economic losses. The response of the crew and the ship's protection systems are crucial in managing these incidents and mitigating their consequences. To assess fire safety improvements, this study has focused on developing and quantifying a risk model that captures the dynamics of a fire starting in a Ro-Ro space. Various risk modelling techniques were reviewed to construct the model, which was then quantified using historical data, simulations, and expert judgments. A Delphi-based, fully digital approach to expert elicitation was introduced, utilizing Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Excel-based questionnaires. This method ensured full anonymity for the experts, reducing the risk of group bias and eliminating the need for travel. To enhance understanding and verify the results, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were performed. They revealed that the potential loss of life deviated, with 90% confidence, from the calculated mean value by less than 26%. Overall, the questionnaire-based method proved effective for expert elicitation and for quantifying nodes in the risk model, demonstrating its utility in the risk assessment process.

A series of model scale experiments were conducted to study the fire development in a ro-ro deck with various opening geometries. The experiments were performed in a 1/8 reduced scale model with a heptane pool fire as fire source. Experimental results show that both the ventilation factor and the opening position affect the fire development. The critical opening ratio for the fire to self-extinguish is 4%, with the opening locating at the bottom of the side walls while no self-extinction is found for other tests. A higher opening position and a larger opening height provide better flow exchange between the deck and the ambient, but this effect is only obvious for 4% opening. Numerical study shows that Fire Dynamic Simulator used with default simple settings underestimates the fire development and yields an early extinction when fire self-extinction occurs. For freely developed fire with large openings, FDS gives more close results to experiments.

The objective of this project was to establish an innovative ship concept for a fully electric Ro-Pax ship, which makes use of new technology, especially in the area of electrical propulsion and energy storage. The project also included a risk assessment of the concept and identification of possible follow-up studies of critical design items. There is a growing demand for all types of shipping to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and particles, and also NOx and SOx. Meeting IMO’s emissions objective by 2050 will require large efforts both for energy efficiency measures on existing ships and for new concepts for fossil-free ships. Electrical propulsion for small ships has been discussed for long and many installations are today operational. This project is an innovation project with participation from industrial partners contributing to the overall goal of sustainable shipping by proposing a ship concept for an electrically powered large Ro-Pax ship for shorter international voyage. The amount of electric energy estimated to be stored in batteries onboard is approximately 60 MWh. This is ten times more than the current largest marine battery installation. When it comes to fire safety, it is very important with a holistic approach, including integrity, ventilation, failure detection and fire suppression methods, etc., based on hazard identification. The battery fire safety concept developed in this project constitutes safety requirements guidelines for large ship battery installations and is one of the main results from the conducted risk analysis work. The idea of the presented concept is that it should be applicable for any electrically powered ship and that it could be used as starting point for discussions on IMO harmonized regulations for battery energy storage systems onboard ships. It can be concluded that a fully electric Ro-Pax ship operating on the route Gothenburg to Frederikshavn is a technically and commercially realistic alternative.

Syftet med detta projekt var att skapa ett innovativt fartygskoncept för ett helelektriskt Ro- Pax-fartyg, som använder sig av ny teknik, särskilt inom området elektrisk framdrivning och energilagring. Projektet inkluderade också en riskbedömning av konceptet och identifiering av möjliga uppföljningsstudier av kritiska designdelar. Kravet ökar på alla typer av sjöfart att minska utsläppen av växthusgaser och partiklar, samt även NOx och SOx. Att uppfylla IMO: s utsläppsmål 2050 kommer att kräva stora insatser avseende såväl energieffektivitetsåtgärder på befintliga fartyg som nya koncept för fossilfria fartyg. Elektrisk framdrivning för små fartyg har diskuterats länge och många installationer är idag i drift. Detta projekt är ett innovationsprojekt, med brett industriellt deltagande, som bidrar till det övergripande målet för hållbar sjöfart genom att föreslå ett fartygskoncept för ett eldrivet stort Ro-Pax-fartyg för kortare internationell resa. Mängden elektrisk energi som beräknas lagras i batterier ombord är cirka 60 MWh. Detta är tio gånger mer än den nuvarande största installationen av marina batterier. När det gäller brandsäkerhet är det mycket viktigt med ett holistiskt tillvägagångssätt, inklusive integritet, ventilation, feldetektering och brandbekämpningsmetoder etc. baserat på riskidentifiering. Konceptet med brandsäkerhet för batterier som utvecklats i detta projekt utgör riktlinjer för säkerhetskrav för stora fartygsbatteriinstallationer och är ett av huvudresultaten från det genomförda riskanalysarbetet. Tanken med det presenterade konceptet är att det ska vara tillämpligt för alla eldrivna fartyg och att det ska kunna användas som utgångspunkt för diskussioner om IMO-harmoniserade regler för batterilagringssystem ombord på fartyg. En viktig slutsats från projektet är att ett helelektriskt Ro-Pax-fartyg, som går på rutten Göteborg till Frederikshavn, är ett tekniskt och kommersiellt realistiskt alternativ.

RAMSSES (Realisation and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships) is an Innovation Action project partly funded by the European Commission in the framework of the H2020 program. During the 4 years of the project, 13 demonstrators will be developed and realised to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the introduction of innovative materials in shipbuilding. Objectives of using new materials such as composite materials and high tensile strength steel are to reduce the weight of the vessel and to increase performance compared to when using conventional material. The role of the classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore in the project RAMSSES is to help and support shipyards, designers, naval architects and owners to reach the above objectives while achieving existing rules and international regulations. The paper gives an overview of current international regulations and especially the recent IMO (International Maritime Organization) interim guidelines MSC.1/Circ.1574 concerning the use of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) elements within ship structures. The global survey scheme applied by classification societies is described and the material approval process is detailed in the scope of innovative material certification. An accelerated approval process called “Fast Track to Approval” (FTA), developed in collaboration with RAMSSES partners and leading to the certification of innovative solutions in ship construction is presented in detail. The goal of the FTA is to have a rapid and efficient methodology for the approbation of new designs or solutions involving advanced materials. This process is based on risk analysis, including model and demonstrator case tests performed during the RAMSSES project. Moreover, a materials database has been obtained from mechanical and fire test results carried out on innovative materials, which is utilized for the FTA. The FTA also makes use of proposed standard risk scenarios, standard tests and standard solutions, in addition to the database to look up reusable data. This will accelerate the process for approval of innovative maritime solutions for sustainable and efficient ships. 

This is the report from the literature study of the RoBound (Ro-ro space Boundary fire protection) project. RoBound is carried out by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB.The ro-ro ships have a large longitudinal space where cars, trucks and other cargo can be rolled on and rolled off. Despite improved fire protection regulations, many fire accidents have occurred on ro-ro ships and there are no signs of them diminishing in number or magnitude. During a review of the fire safety regulations, the IMO correspondence group has particularly pinpointed the need for additional experimental data or results of scientific studies regarding:- The performance of A-60 boundaries in case of a ro-ro space fire, especially to prevent fire spread to accommodation spaces; and- The performance of A-0 boundaries in case of a ro-ro space fire, especially to prevent fire spread between ro-ro spaces.In this process, Sweden has moreover underlined the issue of the smoke tightness of A-class divisions with doors. While smoke tightness is a requirement for A-class divisions, the fire resistance test method in the Fire Test Procedures (FTP) Code is not designed to evaluate hazards associated with smoke spread. RoBound purpose is to clarify the performance of “state-of-the-art” fire boundaries between ro-ro spaces and accommodation spaces or other ro-ro spaces, and to give recommendations on how sufficient fire containment is ensured. RoBound aims to strengthen competence and influence regulation development regarding fire divisions of ro-ro ships.The main result from the literature study is that :- The concept of horizontal fire zones, allowing ro-ro spaces and special category spaces to be as long as the whole ship, was introduced in 1967 according to resolution A.122(V), but was made mandatory long time after. In SOLAS 1974, entered into force in 1980 the main vertical zones was included in the regulation.- The land based method will not be used in RoBound since some smoke tightness solutions are based on an intumescent sealing joint. In order to be activated, the joint needs high temperature which is not reach in the land based standard.- Hose ports, also denoted “Cat holes”, are used on board with different experiences. Some think it works fine, other that it more problem. Level of maintenance vary from almost nothing to a lot of hassle. It is concluded that they reduce the amount of smoke spreading through the door compared with have a wedge and doorway open.- Doors to the ro-ro space is not perceived as smoke tight, and so are not lift doors. Crew is aware of the importance of well closing fire doors, checks are made daily.- Fire insulation in ro-ro spaces can be damaged by loading of trailers or during maintenance work. There can also be water damage (testing of drenchers, cleaning or by rain) and general wear and tear. Damaged insulation happens but not too often so it is not experienced as a problem for the crew.

The EU funded project LASH FIRE aims to provide a recognized technical basis for the revision of international IMO regulations, to greatly enhance fire prevention and ensure independent management of fires on ro-ro ships. The consortium is coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and comprises 26 partners from 13 Member States of the European Union, including industry partners, research institutes, universities, regulatory bodies, trade associations and experts in communication and external relations. LASH FIRE makes use of the great potential in using new and advancing technologies and procedures to propose cost-effective solutions that mitigate the risk of fires initiated in ro-ro spaces. The solutions are being assessed for feasibility and performance validation, and demonstrated with help of the involved ship operators and yards.

This report is the final report from the research project RO5. The report summarises the results from the research project RO5. The report consists of summary from a literature study, from computer simulations and from model scale tests. This, together with results from full scale demonstrational test (documented only in this report) leads to the conceptional solutions and recommendations presented in this report. The project focused aim was to investigate the effects of ventilation on fire development in ro-ro spaces with different ventilation conditions.

Important conclusion from the literature study is that ventilation is primary to prevent flammable and other harmful gases from accumulating in the spaces, and the mechanical ventilation is not designed to be functional in case of fire. It is a must for the crew to gain knowledge about the ventilation system (i.e. fans, inlets and outlets) and its capacity from tests and experiences. It is important that guidelines, rules and routines are established for using the ventilation system in typical conditions (loading/unloading etc.) and that it is documented and passed on to provide guidance for the ship's crew.

One of the most important conclusions from the model scale tests and numerical simulation study is that distinct limitation is found for 4% opening of space sides (natural ventilation) for the fire self-extinction to occur. This is dependent on the height and shape of the opening. For the mechanical ventilation case, in case of fire, stopping the ventilation is the best way to reduce the fire intensity. The tests show that mechanical ventilation is vital for the fire to continue to burn. The recommendations aim at giving advise concerning ventilation in case of fire and how to deal with the ventilation at different ro-ro spaces.

The effectiveness of ‘drencher systems’ per Resolution A.123(V) has been questioned for many years. This report presents a review of potential commercially available alternative systems and their expected performance efficiency, water consumption and estimated installation costs. Additionally, large‑scale fire tests were performed for selected systems.

Three main alternative fire-extinguishing systems were identified:

• Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS)
• Foam-water sprinkler and foam‑water spray systems; and
• Water curtains.

Water curtains was the least expensive system, but the areas sub‑divided by the water curtains require cargo spacing, resulting in significant yearly losses in income for a ship owner. Furthermore, water curtains were de-selected since they cannot replace a conventional fire-extinguishing system.

The installation cost for the selected CAFS was very high and it gave limited fire suppression in the large‑scale fire tests, probably due to the limited discharge density of 2.4 mm/min.

The system per MSC.1/Circ.1430 (10 mm/min) had superior performance while the system per Resolution A.123(V) (5 mm/min) and the foam‑water spray system (6.5 mm/min + foam) limited the fire size to some degrees. However, for a potential spill fire scenario, improvements of foam could be relevant.

Foam injection could be an alternative, but no new system was recommended to be required.

One of the main issues with regard to fire safety of open ro-ro spaces and weather decks is that detection systems may not be as efficient as in closed ro-ro spaces. Several recent total losses of ro-ro ships have stressed the need for investigating more efficient fire detection solutions.

This study evaluated available and emerging fire detection technologies for use in open ro-ro spaces and on weather decks. A review of relevant regulations was performed as well as an evaluation of the expected efficiency of the identified alternative detection technologies, considering detection time and sensitivity to weather conditions, loading conditions and deck configuration, as well as cost.

Fibre optic linear heat detection and thermal imaging camera detection were selected for fire tests in open ro-ro space and on weather deck, respectively, onboard a commercial RoPax vessel. Both systems were found functional and suitable for the relevant ro-ro space environments. The risk reduction potentials of the systems were quantified and a cost-effectiveness assessment was performed. Thermal imaging camera detection was found cost-effective for all types of RoPax (Existing ships and Newbuildings), and fibre optic linear heat detection system was found cost-effective for Standard and Ferry RoPax (Existing ships and Newbuildings).

In 2016, EMSA initiated the first FIRESAFE study in order to investigate cost-efficient measures for reducing the risk from fires on ro-ro spaces with a focus on Electrical Fire as ignition source as well as Fire Extinguishing Failure. In 2017, EMSA initiated the FIRESAFE II study to investigate risk control options in relation to Detection and Decision as well as Containment and Evacuation, following a ro-ro space fire incident on any ro-ro passenger ship.The main objective of FIRESAFE and FIRESAFE II was to improve the fire safety of ro-ro passenger ships by cost-efficient safety measures reducing the risk of ro-ro space fire, with an aim to discuss specific proposals for rule making.This report presents the results of the combined assessment of cost effectiveness based on the results from the different parts previously considered separately in FIRESAFE and FIRESAFE II.The combined cost-effectiveness assessment was performed on 21 Risk Control Options (RCOs) for three generic ships representing the world fleet of RoPax ships (Cargo, Standard and Ferry RoPax), taking into account potential differences between Newbuildings and Existing ships.Recommendations for decision making were provided based on the results of the combined cost-effectiveness assessment.