Fire Fighting Equipment on Ships — A Complete SOLAS Guide

A fire onboard a ship in open water is a fundamentally different problem from a fire ashore. Help is not coming for hours or days — the ship’s crew, with the ship’s equipment, is the entire fire brigade. The fire is enclosed in a steel hull that contains the heat and smoke. The water surrounding the ship is unlimited but corrosive — destroying land-grade fire equipment within a few seasons of continuous service. And the regulatory regime, SOLAS Chapter II-2, treats every category of fire fighting equipment as a mandatory specification, not a recommendation.

This guide is the marine fire equipment companion to the rest of this series. We walk through what shipboard fire fighting equipment SOLAS requires, why saltwater changes the engineering of nearly every component, how class society approval works, and how to specify equipment that survives decades of shipboard service rather than failing in the third year.

1. Why Marine Firefighting Is Different

Four facts about shipboard firefighting set it apart from anything land-based:

2. SOLAS Chapter II-2 — The Regulatory Framework

SOLAS is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, the cornerstone of international maritime safety regulation. Chapter II-2 specifically addresses fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction on ships. Every ship trading internationally has to comply with it — through the flag state’s implementation of SOLAS rules and through the classification society that certifies the ship.

The Chapter II-2 framework breaks shipboard fire safety into a hierarchy:

• Prevention. Materials, structural fire protection, ventilation arrangements, smoking restrictions.
• Detection. Smoke and heat detection systems throughout accommodation, machinery and cargo spaces, alarm panels in the wheelhouse.
• Containment. A-class and B-class bulkheads, fire doors, ventilation dampers, smoke control.
• Suppression. The fire main system, fixed suppression in engine rooms and cargo spaces, portable extinguishers, foam systems on tankers.
• Escape. Means of escape from all spaces, escape lighting, embarkation arrangements.
• Operational readiness. Maintenance, drills, fire training, fire safety operational booklet.

This guide focuses on the suppression-side equipment — the fire main, hose, nozzles, portable extinguishers, and the fire control station equipment. Containment (bulkheads, doors) and detection are separately specified and typically delivered by other suppliers; suppression equipment is where the CA-FIRE product range applies.

3. The Ship’s Fire Main & Hydrant System

Every ship subject to SOLAS Chapter II-2 has a fire main system — a permanent piping installation that delivers water under pressure to fire hydrants throughout the vessel. The standard configuration:

• Fire pumps. Two or more pumps (the exact number depends on ship size and type), independently driven, capable of operating from different power sources. The total flow capacity is sized to the ship’s required fire flow rate.
• Sea suction connections. Multiple sea chests on different sides of the hull, so the ship can supply the fire main from whichever side is appropriate to the situation.
• Fire main piping. Permanent steel or copper-alloy piping running throughout the ship, sized to deliver design pressure at the most-remote hydrant.
• Hydrants and hose stations. Spaced so any part of the ship is reachable by hose from at least two hydrants (the standard “two jets of water” requirement). Each station carries hose, nozzle and necessary couplings.
• International Shore Connection. A standardised flange on the fire main that allows shore-based firefighting water to be connected when the ship is in port — the “ISC” fitting required by SOLAS.

The hydrant outlets are typically 1.5″ (38 mm) or 2.5″ (65 mm) depending on the location and the ship type. International thread standards vary by flag state — BS, NPSH, JIS, Storz, Machino — and matching the hydrant outlet to the nozzle and hose coupling is part of the marine equipment specification. See CA-FIRE’s firefighting coupling range for the matching coupling specifications.

4. Marine Fire Nozzles — Why Brass

The fire nozzle is the discharge end of every hose station on the ship. On a land-based installation it is typically anodised aluminium — light, low-cost, and adequate for fresh water. On a ship the same nozzle fails. Even hard-anodised aluminium develops pitting at threaded sections, internal seal surfaces and flow control mechanisms within a few seasons of continuous saltwater service. The pitting starts at one fitting and propagates — once the flow control or valve seat is compromised, the whole nozzle needs replacement.

The marine answer is a solid brass body with electroplated galvanised surface treatment. Brass is naturally corrosion-resistant in saltwater and has two centuries of marine service history. The galvanised treatment provides a second protective layer specifically against the harsh combination of salt spray, hot engine room atmosphere, and the chemical contaminants common in port and refinery environments. CA-FIRE’s marine fire nozzle (QLD6.0/8III-B) is built specifically for this duty cycle — identical hydraulic performance to our land-based QLD adjustable nozzle (115/230/360/475 LPM at 7 bar, 34 m reach) but brass construction and galvanised treatment instead of anodised aluminium.

The weight trade-off is real and worth being honest about: the brass marine nozzle is 3.8 kg compared to 1.8 kg for the aluminium version — more than double. That extra mass is the cost of decades of saltwater service life. For the crew, the additional weight is manageable; for the ship operator, the avoidance of premature replacement and the certification trail of swapping out failed equipment is the much larger saving over the ship’s operating life.

For specific shipboard applications the nozzle inventory extends beyond just the standard adjustable. A typical SOLAS-aligned shipboard inventory includes: brass adjustable nozzles at every hose station (the everyday workhorse), brass smooth-bore jet nozzles for long-reach attack from upper deck positions, foam-capable nozzles for cargo deck and tanker spaces, and piercing nozzles for accessing fires in enclosed compartments. See our Fire Hose Nozzle Types Buyer’s Guide for the complete selection logic.

5. Fixed Suppression Systems Onboard

SOLAS requires fixed automatic suppression for the high-risk spaces of the ship — the spaces where a fire cannot be reliably reached or fought by the crew with portable equipment. The main categories:

The engine room and cargo space fixed systems are the most complex and the most regulated. They require dedicated detection, manual release stations, occupant evacuation alarms, and proof of adequate concentration to extinguish the design fire — all certified by the class society at survey. The system supplier is normally a specialist marine fire safety contractor; the equipment supplier (cylinders, nozzles, valves) supplies the components into that contractor’s design.

6. Portable Equipment & Firefighter Outfit

Beyond the fixed systems, every SOLAS-compliant ship carries portable fire fighting equipment for occupant first-attack and crew brigade response:

• Portable fire extinguishers. Distributed throughout accommodation, machinery and cargo spaces per SOLAS rules. ABC dry chemical for general use, CO₂ for machinery and electrical, wet chemical (Class F) for galleys.
• Fire hoses and nozzles. At every hydrant station — typically rolled-up canvas or rubberised hose with a brass marine adjustable nozzle on the discharge end. Pre-rigged for rapid deployment.
• Firefighter outfits. SOLAS requires at least two complete firefighter outfits, in different locations on the ship, each with bunker gear, helmet, gloves, boots, axe, lifeline, and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with spare cylinder.
• Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBDs). Short-duration breathing apparatus for escape (not for fire fighting), distributed throughout accommodation and machinery spaces for crew to use during evacuation.
• Fire control plan. A permanent posted layout of the ship’s fire protection equipment, accessible to responders. The IMO format is standardised.
• International shore connection. The standardised flange that mates the ship’s fire main to a shore-based water supply when alongside.

The fire equipment is not just the equipment — it is the equipment plus the ship’s fire safety operational booklet, the regular drill schedule, and the training records that demonstrate the crew can use it. SOLAS treats these as integrated requirements rather than separate items.

7. Requirements by Ship Type

The general SOLAS framework applies to all ships, but the specifics scale and adapt by ship type. Five common ship-type adaptations:

8. Class Society Approval & MED Wheel-Mark

SOLAS sets the international framework but specific equipment approval is delegated to two channels:

Class society approval. The major classification societies — Lloyd’s Register (LR), DNV, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), China Classification Society (CCS), Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) and others — certify ships and the equipment installed on them. A piece of fire equipment with “class approval” has been tested by or for the class society and meets their specification. For a ship registered under a particular class, approved equipment from that class society is generally accepted without further review.

MED Wheel-Mark. The European Marine Equipment Directive certification, identified by the steering-wheel symbol stamped on the equipment. MED wheel-mark is required for ships flagged under EU member states. The certification covers a specific list of equipment categories — fire nozzles, hoses, extinguishers, sprinklers and so on — each with their own MED reference.

For procurement: when buying marine fire equipment, confirm which class society approval the ship requires and ensure the equipment supplier can deliver that specific approval. Class approval is typically issued per project rather than per product — meaning the equipment must be certified for the specific ship and the specific class society at the time of installation. Manufacturers like CA-FIRE that supply marine equipment routinely process class society approvals on project orders for LR / DNV / ABS / BV / CCS / RINA — contact the sales team with the ship’s flag state and class requirements for a confirmed approval package.

9. Specifying Marine Fire Equipment

A practical specification framework when procuring marine fire equipment for a new build, refit or fleet replacement:

• Confirm flag state and class society. These determine the certification track — different class societies have slightly different specifications and the equipment has to match the ship’s classification.
• Confirm coupling and thread standards. Marine fire systems use different standards by region — BS, NPSH, JIS, Storz, Machino, GOST. The hydrant outlet, hose coupling and nozzle inlet must all match.
• Specify brass for everything on the saltwater side. Body, coupling, fittings — all brass with galvanised treatment where applicable. Mixing brass with aluminium or steel at coupling points causes bimetallic galvanic corrosion, the most common marine equipment failure mode.
• Match the nozzle inventory to the ship type. Adjustable nozzles at all hose stations, jet nozzles for long-reach, foam-capable nozzles for tankers, piercing nozzles for cargo container access, water curtains for deck radiation protection on offshore platforms.
• Confirm product liability insurance coverage. Marine equipment carries higher liability exposure than land-based equipment. PICC product liability insurance is standard on CA-FIRE marine shipments.
• Plan for the long lead time of class-approved equipment. Standard stock items ship in 7–15 working days; class-approved orders typically take 30–60 days depending on the approval body and the level of inspection required. Build this into the procurement schedule.

For the discharge side of a complete marine fire system, see CA-FIRE’s marine fire nozzle range and complete fire hose nozzle range. For the supply side and the system components — fire hydrants, couplings, foam concentrate and bladder tanks — see the rest of the CA-FIRE product range.

10. FAQ

What fire fighting equipment is required on a ship?

Under SOLAS Chapter II-2, every commercial ship trading internationally requires: a fire main system with hydrants and hose stations throughout, fixed automatic suppression in machinery spaces and cargo holds (CO₂, water mist or foam depending on the space), automatic sprinkler systems in accommodation areas (for passenger ships), portable fire extinguishers distributed throughout the ship, at least two firefighter outfits with SCBA, an International Shore Connection on the fire main, and a posted fire control plan. Tankers additionally need a fixed deck foam system. The exact specification scales by ship type, size and trade.

Why are marine fire nozzles made of brass?

Aluminium does not survive continuous saltwater service. Even hard-anodised aluminium develops pitting at threaded sections, internal seal surfaces and flow control mechanisms within a few seasons of continuous shipboard duty — and once pitting starts, the flow control or valve seat fails rapidly. Brass is naturally corrosion-resistant in saltwater and has two centuries of marine service history. The CA-FIRE QLD6.0/8III-B marine fire nozzle uses solid brass construction with additional electroplated galvanised surface treatment for shipboard duty, with identical hydraulic performance to the standard aluminium version but designed to survive decades rather than seasons.

What is SOLAS Chapter II-2?

SOLAS Chapter II-2 is the section of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea that specifically addresses fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction on ships. It is the cornerstone international regulation for shipboard fire safety, applied to every ship trading internationally through the flag state’s implementation and the ship’s classification society. The chapter covers fire prevention, detection, containment, suppression, escape and operational readiness as an integrated framework — treating shipboard fire equipment as mandatory specification, not recommendation.

What class society approvals do marine fire nozzles need?

Depending on the ship’s classification, marine fire equipment may require approval from Lloyd’s Register (LR), DNV, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), China Classification Society (CCS), Registro Italiano Navale (RINA), or others. For ships flagged under EU member states, MED (Marine Equipment Directive) wheel-mark certification is additionally required for the listed equipment categories. Class approval is typically issued per project, so the equipment must be certified for the specific ship at installation time — contact the equipment manufacturer with the ship’s flag state and class requirements to confirm the approval package.

What is the International Shore Connection?

The International Shore Connection (ISC) is a SOLAS-required standardised flange on a ship’s fire main that allows shore-based firefighting water to be connected when the ship is in port or at a dock. The flange dimensions are internationally standardised so that any compliant fire brigade water supply can be physically connected to any SOLAS ship regardless of flag state — solving the otherwise common problem of incompatible coupling threads between countries. Every SOLAS-compliant ship carries at least one ISC and the necessary adapter fittings.

What is the difference between a tanker fire system and a cargo ship fire system?

Both have the baseline SOLAS configuration — fire main, hydrants, brass marine nozzles, fixed CO₂ in engine room, portable equipment, firefighter outfits. Tankers add a fixed deck foam system covering the entire cargo deck — fixed foam monitors discharging air-aspirated foam onto the cargo tanks, with foam concentrate storage and proportioning equipment sized for the regulatory requirement. The foam capability is the central tanker-specific addition because Class B liquid cargo fires require foam suppression — water alone is dangerous on burning hydrocarbon cargo. See our foam vs water for Class B fires guide for the underlying physics.

What is the lead time for class-approved marine fire equipment?

Standard stock marine equipment from a manufacturer like CA-FIRE ships in 7–15 working days. Class-approved orders (LR / DNV / ABS / BV / CCS / RINA) typically take 30–60 working days depending on the approval body, the equipment category, and the level of inspection required — the class society’s inspector may need to witness specific tests or production stages, which adds calendar time. MED wheel-mark certified orders are in the same lead-time range. Build this into the procurement schedule for new-build and refit projects, and contact the supplier with the class and flag-state requirements as early as possible in the project planning.