{
  "id": 16809149,
  "title": "Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum publishes new Fire Drill Guidelines for Vehicle Carrying Vessels",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/vehicle-carrier-safety-forum-publishes-new-fire-drill-guidelines-for",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-27T22:00:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/vehicle-carrier-safety-forum-publishes-new-fire-drill-guidelines-for-vehicle-carrying-vessels/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum (VCSF) has unveiled new Fire Drill Guidelines for vessels carrying vehicles, offering a practical framework for operators to create and conduct realistic, scenario-based fire response drills. These guidelines aim to enhance preparedness for vehicle fires on various types of vessels, including Pure Car Carriers (PCCs), Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), RoRo and Ro-Pax ships. They encompass both at-sea and port-based fire drills, with scenarios ranging from initial onboard response to incidents that necessitate external assistance. The guidelines underscore the significance of quickly deploying fixed firefighting systems, effective ship-shore coordination, and planning for specialist firefighting support, salvage, and port of refuge arrangements.\n\nGeir Jorgensen, Chair of the IG P&I Ships’ Technical Committee, emphasized the importance of industry collaboration in boosting fire safety. He noted that realistic drills enable ship and shore teams to prepare for swift and efficient responses, thereby minimizing the risk of a fire's escalation. Lional Sharon, Marine Adviser at the International Chamber of Shipping, stressed that the guidelines provide a structured approach to executing fire drills on board ships. In the face of increasingly complex fire scenarios, these guidelines will ensure crews are better equipped to respond effectively. By adopting a consistent and systematic methodology, the guidelines can bolster onboard readiness and enhance the crew's capacity to manage fire emergencies.\n\nColin Gillespie, Chair of the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum, explained that the guidelines were developed due to the need to go beyond issuing guidance and instead require operators to rehearse scenarios through realistic drills. This approach ensures that response strategies function when they truly matter. By facilitating crew and shore team practice together, the guidelines intend to embed better decision-making, coordination, and a faster, more effective response to fires on vehicle-carrying vessels, ultimately safeguarding lives. The guidelines are designed to be principle-based rather than prescriptive, allowing operators to customize drills to their vessels and operations while promoting a unified approach to fire preparedness across the vehicle-carrying sector.",
  "summary": "The Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum (VCSF) has published new Fire Drill Guidelines for Vehicle Carrying Vessels, providing vessel operators with a practical framework for developing and conducting realistic, scenario-based fire response drills. Complementing the VCSF’s existing Fire Response – High Level Guidelines, the new guidance is designed to strengthen preparedness for vehicle fires on Pure ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}