GEAR | Wasaline ferry to be fitted with new firefighting system

A group of Finnish shipping companies led by operator Wasaline are participating in a joint project that seeks to to develop a new extinguishing pool for the purpose of fighting vehicle cargo fires at sea.

The first example of the new extinguishing pool is being developed with the cooperation of fire safety companies Firesea Equipment and Rescue Team Scandinavia and will be fitted on the Wasaline Ro-Pax ferry Aurora Botnia.

In case of a battery fire, the extinguishing pool can quickly be set up around the vehicle. The fire is then controlled by submerging the batteries, usually placed under the car floor, in cooling liquid.

Wasaline said that field tests proved the pool to be effective and easy to handle in tight spaces on the car deck.

Wasaline has also equipped Aurora Botnia with aqueous vermiculite dispersion (AVD) extinguishers, which will be used to contain lithium-ion battery fires. The AVD agent cools down and encapsulates the burning battery.

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