Odfjell nr 3 - 2006.indd

Rotterdam Fire Brigade
Officers visiting Bow Sun
By Cor van der Veken, Safety Officer, Odfjell Terminals (Rotterdam)
On August 1st a group of officers from
the Rotterdam Fire Brigade and Port
Authority visited M/T Bow Sun in connection
with the training programme
“Fire Fighting on board ships”.
The purpose of the visit was to let the
fire officers get a clear picture of the
fire fighting equipment on board vessels.
There was also focus on communication:
how can a fire brigade officer
obtain proper information about the
conditions on board? Only the right
information allows him/her to take the
right decisions for a safe employment of
fire fighting personnel and at the same
time effectively attacking the fire.
Due to the good relationship between
the Rotterdam Fire Brigade and Odfjell
Terminals (Rotterdam) (OTR), we were
asked whether it was possible to visit
one of our tankers. So we checked with
Superintendent Ove Normann of Odfjell
Ship Management and were informed
that the party was welcome on board
either Bow Chain or Bow Sun. The only
challenge was the planning of the visit
vis-à-vis the ships’ rotations.
We were lucky. The Bow Sun was
moored in the 3rd Petroleum Harbour in
Rotterdam awaiting cargo availability.
Rune Mortensen, Chief Officer of the
Bow Sun, was very hospitable, and told
us all about where to find the necessary
information on safety and fire fighting
equipment, plans of the ship, stowage
plans, product information and crewing
lists. However, there is also certain information
that is more difficult to obtain.
He further pointed out some of the specific
risks that fire fighters may face in
case of a calamity, not least associated
with the wide variety of products that
can be on board. Product characteristics
in connection with heating, cooling,
pressurized transportation, coverage by
an inert gas, reactivity with water and
heat, polymerization, etc. are all factors
that may affect the characteristics of
a fire. Fortunately ships have a safetywallet
where plans for the fire brigade
are kept; this wallet should include
Material Safety Data Sheets for all cargoes
on board. The bottom line is that
as a fire fighter you should never take
things for granted. Every time the situation
will be different.
After this thorough introduction, we
had a guided tour on the ship where
the crew informed us about the fire
fighting equipment, deck-tanks, rainwater-tanks
and sample-storage. There
was also time to discuss questions about
emergency stops, fire fighting clothing,
safety clothing etc. We were provided
with all the answers, as well as the “international
connection” for the fire brigade.
Of course, much time was spent in the
engine-room. In case of a fire, the heat
will go upward – and the engine room
consists of three levels! Chief Officer
Mortensen pointed out the CO 2 flooding
system, which will be switched on
in case of an emergency. Thank goodness,
because the party was already
racking their brains how to execute a
salvage operation in a burning engineroom
and how to extinguish a fire in an
engine-room in a safe way. How do you
get there, and – more importantly – how
do you get out when things escalate,
the narrow corridors are full of smoke
and the heat is literally on? After all, a
ship is a labyrinth to us landlubbers.
It was a very interesting and instructive
visit. We would like to thank Captain
Asle Kvalvåg and his crew for their hospitality
and the possibility to visit the
ship. In particular we convey our thanks
to Chief Officer Rune Mortensen for
the tour of vessel and for his clear and
elaborate explanations.
The Rotterdam Fire Brigade and Port Authority officers gathered with OTR safety staff on board M/T Bow Sun
ODFJELL Quarterly September 2006 25