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Fire Fighting Systems
Fire Fighting Systems covers the active fire protection on drilling units and offshore vessels. It runs from firewater pumps, ring mains and hydrants through deluge and sprinkler systems, gas, water mist and local application systems, CO2 and foam installations, down to portable and wheeled extinguishers. Most of it is pressure equipment approved as a complete system, so test dates and approval scope decide whether used parts can go back into service.
How the layers work together
Fire protection on a drilling unit works in layers. Firewater pumps keep a ring main pressurised and feed hydrants, hoses, deluge and sprinklers. Deluge covers open areas with a gas or hydrocarbon fire risk, such as the drill floor, well bay, mud processing areas and helideck. Total flooding systems protect enclosed machinery and electrical spaces. Local application covers high-risk spots inside large machinery spaces. Portable extinguishers deal with small fires before they spread.
The fire and gas system ties them together. Detection trips deluge valves, starts fire pumps, shuts dampers and releases gas systems after a pre-discharge alarm. A used component has to fit that logic as well as the pipework.
Comparing the sub-Categories
| Sub-Category | What it protects | Main IMO reference |
|---|---|---|
| Fire pumps and hydrants | Water supply to every water-based system | SOLAS II-2/10.2, FSS Code chapter 12 |
| Deluge and sprinkler systems | Open process areas, drill floor, accommodation | FSS Code chapter 8, NFPA 13 and 15 |
| Fixed fire suppression | Clean agent, inert gas, water mist and local application | FSS Code chapters 5 and 7, MSC/Circ.848 and 1165 |
| Foam and CO2 systems | CO2 total flooding, helideck and fuel area foam | FSS Code chapters 5, 6 and 17 |
| Portable fire extinguishers | First response in every space | FSS Code chapter 4, A.951(23) |
Rules across the group
Chapter 9 of the 2009 MODU Code sets fire safety for drilling units and draws on SOLAS chapter II-2 and the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code). Class societies such as DNV and ABS survey the installation for the flag. IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 sets onboard maintenance and inspection intervals, from weekly checks to ten-yearly work. Units built to US specifications or working under US-based contracts often add NFPA standards, such as NFPA 13 for sprinklers, NFPA 15 for water spray, NFPA 20 for fire pumps and NFPA 25 for testing water-based systems.
Approval belongs to the whole system
Gas, water mist and foam systems are type-approved as a complete design. The approval names the nozzles, valves, cylinders, pipe limits and the maker's design manual. Spares from another maker's system, or from a different approved range, can void that approval. Buy a complete package, or spares that match the installed system part number for part number.
Pressure equipment sets the timeline
Every cylinder, extinguisher and pressure vessel carries hydrostatic test dates. CO2 banks, inert gas cylinders, clean agent containers, pilot cylinders and extinguisher shells all fall due on fixed intervals. A used item close to its test date carries that cost with it. Ask for the stamped date on each one, not a summary.
Media you may not be allowed to use
Extinguishing media are now an approval and environmental question as much as a technical one.
- SOLAS has banned new halon installations for decades.
- From 1 January 2026, SOLAS chapter II-2 as amended by MSC.532(107) bans using or storing media containing PFOS above 10 mg/kg. Existing SOLAS ships must comply by their first survey after that date.
- The EU restricted PFAS in firefighting foams under REACH through Regulation (EU) 2025/1988, with transition periods of up to ten years by use.
- HFC-227ea is subject to HFC phase-down under the EU F-gas rules and the Kigali Amendment.
- 3M has stopped making Novec 1230. Other producers sell FK-5-1-12, but the system approval has to cover the replacement agent.
Check that the agent in a used system can still be refilled, approved and stored where your unit works.
Integration questions
- Fire pump capacity against the largest deluge zone plus the hydrant demand
- Pipe material and pressure class against the existing ring main
- Release logic and voltage against your fire and gas panel
- Cylinder room space and floor loading for gas banks
- Drainage and runoff for foam and deluge water on deck
Sourcing used and surplus fire equipment
Unused surplus from cancelled projects is the best source for valves, pump sets and complete gas packages, if the approval still covers it. Used cylinders and pump sets work well when their test records are complete and the model matches what you already have. Rebuilding a system from mixed parts rarely passes survey. Naventr can arrange an inspection or witnessed test on request.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can used fire fighting equipment pass a class survey?
Yes, when it matches its type approval and has current test and service records. Fixed gas, mist and foam systems must keep their approved design, so parts from different systems cannot be mixed. The surveyor checks cylinder test dates, pump performance, release function and the last service report.
Which standards apply to fire fighting systems on a drilling rig?
The 2009 MODU Code sets fire safety for drilling units in chapter 9 and refers to SOLAS chapter II-2 and the FSS Code. MSC.1/Circ.1432 covers maintenance. Many units also follow NFPA 13, 15, 20 and 25 and the rules of a class society such as DNV or ABS.
Is PFOS foam still allowed offshore?
No, not on SOLAS ships. MSC.532(107) bans using or storing fire-extinguishing media containing PFOS from 1 January 2026, with existing ships complying by their first survey after that date. Treat any used foam concentrate without a PFOS-free certificate as waste for a shore reception facility.
How often do offshore fire protection systems need inspection?
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 sets weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, five-yearly and ten-yearly tasks for fire protection systems. CO2 systems follow MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1, foam concentrate follows MSC.1/Circ.1312, and extinguishers have their own hydrostatic test intervals.
Looking for fire fighting systems?
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