Fire statistics are good, but flooding still an issue

A shipowner operating 20 vessels can expect one major engineroom fire every 10 years. For cruise vessels, it is every five, says DNV GL – based on its statistical figures. Over half of engineroom fires result from oil leakage on to hot spots. These statistics are better than they have been in the past, and incidents where ships are rapidly engulfed in fire seem to be a thing of the past. A major step change in preventing this occurred in 1989 with the introduction of structural fire protection. Since then, regulations have been developed further and detection and extinguishing equipment refined.