The Hong Kong Government has notified the Society of periodic inspection, maintenance and tests of fire extinguishing systems etc. on board the Hong Kong flag ships, which are produced as follows.

1. Fire extinguishers
(1) Fire extinguishers should be examined annually by a competent person, who in this case may be taken to be the ship's senior deck and engineer officers.
(2) Each extinguisher should be provided with a sign indicating that it has been examined.
(3) Containers of permanently pressurized fire extinguishers and propellant bottles of non-pressurized fire extinguishers should be hydraulic pressure tested every 10 years. Containers of non-permanently pressurized fire extinguishers should be also hydraulic pressure tested every 10 years.
2. Air cylinders for compressed-air-operated breathing apparatus
CABA cylinders other than those of a lightweight type should be hydraulic pressure tested at intervals not exceeding 5 years. Cylinders of lightweight type should be tested after a period not exceeding 3 years from the date of initial manufacturing test and thereafter at 2 yearly intervals.
3. Air bottles for air supply in totally enclosed lifeboats
Air bottles in totally enclosed lifeboats should be internally and externally inspected and hydraulic pressure tested at intervals not exceeding 5 years.
4. Foam fire-extinguishing systems
Foam concentrates stored on board, the first periodical control should be performed after a period of 3 years and after that, every year. A record of the age of the foam concentrates and of subsequent controls should be kept on board.
5. Fixed fire-extinguishing systems
(1) Each CO2 / Halon cylinder in a fixed fire-fighting systems should be hydraulic pressure tested after a period of 10 years from the date of the initial manufacturing test. However, the interval may be extended to 20 years if a competent person submits it to a full external inspection every 12 months.
(2) The full external inspection specified in above (1) shall involve checking for mechanical damage, excessive corrosion and loss of gas content and the results should be properly recorded. In addition, the cylinders should be examined, hydraulically tested and recharged if the gas content remaining is less than 90 % of the stated capacity.


(To be continued)

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Survey Department, Administration Center, Head Office
Address: 4-7, Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8567, Japan
Tel.: +81-3-5226-2027 / 2028
Fax: +81-3-5226-2029
E-mail: svd@classnk.or.jp