From Next Year, Fishing Boats Must Install Fire Alarms... "Will Help Reduce Casualties Through Prompt Response"

by Ju Sangdon

Published 10 Nov.2020 11:00(KST)

Fire detection and alarm device installed on a fishing vessel.

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 10th that starting next year, it will mandate the installation of 'Fire Detection and Alarm Devices' on offshore and coastal fishing vessels to reduce casualties caused by fishing vessel fires.

Although fire accidents on fishing vessels account for only 5% of all fishing vessel accidents, once they occur, they can lead to large-scale casualties, requiring special attention and management. Currently, fishing vessels are required to be equipped with firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, but if fishermen are in areas other than where the fire occurs, it is difficult to recognize the fire, making it challenging to quickly suppress the fire.

Accordingly, through the 'Fishing Vessel Accident Prevention and Reduction Measures' announced last December, the Ministry has been sequentially distributing fire detection and alarm devices free of charge since April this year to 2,700 offshore fishing vessels and 12,000 coastal fishing vessels.

In fact, in early October, a fire accident occurred on an 86-ton offshore fishing vessel, and the initial response was successful through the fire detection and alarm device, with all crew safely rescued, confirming the effectiveness of the device.

Since the effectiveness of the device has been verified through actual cases, the Ministry plans to strengthen fishing vessel safety by mandating the installation of fire detection and alarm devices on all fishing vessels starting next year. To this end, the 'Fishing Vessel Equipment Standards' are being revised, and all administrative procedures are planned to be completed and implemented by January next year.

Choi Yong-seok, Director of Fisheries Resources Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "Since fire detection and alarm devices are important equipment that can save lives through prompt response in case of fire, we ask fishermen to make efforts to install and continuously maintain them when building vessels."