"Prevent Vehicle Fires on Ships"…Hyundai Glovis Strengthens Prevention and Suppression Systems

Glovis Holds 45% Global Market Share in Electric Vehicle Maritime Transport
Importance of Ship Transport Safety Management Increases with Growing Electric Vehicle Adoption

Crew members of the car carrier Glovis Safety, docking at Gwangyang Port International Terminal, are conducting a drill by covering a training vehicle with a smothering fire blanket and extinguishing the fire using a water spray window.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Glovis has recently strengthened its fire response system to suit the ship environment by deploying special equipment to prevent large fires from spreading on its car carriers. This decision comes from the need for specialized management of vehicle fires onboard as the maritime transport of electric vehicles increases.

On the 30th, the company announced that it has collaborated with the Korean Register (KR) and others to develop a customized onboard fire response system, which will be implemented on all vessels within this year. Hyundai Glovis, a supply chain management (SCM) specialist in automobile and parts transportation, transported 250,000 electric vehicles last year alone, accounting for approximately 45% of the maritime transport volume of electric vehicles (based on the company's own estimates).

A company official stated, "Car carriers are densely loaded with vehicles, so if a fire breaks out, it can easily lead to a chain reaction. When a fire spreads to electric vehicles, the fire suppression differs from that of internal combustion engine vehicles, so appropriate equipment tailored to this is necessary."

They decided to sequentially deploy an inert gas fire suppression cover and water spray nozzles. The inert gas fire suppression cover is a non-flammable fabric made of specially coated fire-resistant fibers that is placed over the burning vehicle to block oxygen inflow, extinguish the fire, and block heat and smoke. Developed in Norway in 2014, its effectiveness has been proven and it is used by fire departments and others. The product was modified to suit the ship environment, considering the varying sizes of loaded vehicles. The water spray nozzle is equipment that sprays water directly through narrow and enclosed spaces such as iron doors or walls. By inserting a pipe longer than 1 meter into the vehicle, water can be sprayed close to the underside of the vehicle.

For proactive prevention, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed on each cargo hold deck to monitor vehicle conditions regularly. Onboard heat and smoke detectors have been installed to detect fire risks early. Considering that electric vehicles are heavier than regular vehicles, they will be loaded on the lower decks of the ship. The lower decks are relatively temperature-stable and advantageous for ensuring safety.

Additionally, an emergency response manual has been prepared, and biannual training is mandatory. For crew safety, flame-retardant heat-resistant fabrics and purification filters have been installed. The company said, "We have anticipated changes in the automotive industry and proactively prepared what our clients need," adding, "We will continue to showcase differentiated shipping competitiveness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.