How to mitigate the risk of fires on board

Fires are unfortunately a serious issue in yachting. In the last year, more than 15 yachts over 24 meters have been lost. As with any incident, there is rarely a single cause therefore, there is no single solution to eradicate the risk. However, there are a number of precautionary measures that owners can take to lower the risk of fire.

Among the most common causes of fire on board are defects in electrical installations and lack of maintenance. Electrical equipment must be installed with sufficient space and there must always be an adequate ventilation, especially in the engine room. The need to reduce costs should never tempt owners to save on maintenance in exchange for less safety. Another potential source of fire is the galley, where, for example, gas cookers need to be checked on a regular basis to prevent defects.

Recently, fires caused by lithium batteries have been the talk of the yachting industry. This is because lithium batteries are a potential source of risk and are of particular concern, as it is impossible to completely extinguish the fire with a conventional extinguishing device such as CO2, dry powder or water. However, the real problem usually lies in improper use or installation. Yet, it is the mobile portable batteries that cause us greater concern, as these are not initially designed for use onboard and many yachts do not have appropriate provisions to enable safe charging onboard. 

For more information on the main causes of fires and how to avoid them, please refer to the following article published in SuperYacht Times in collaboration with Pantaenius.