The Vietnam Government has notified ClassNK of maintenance, inspection and tests of fire fighting systems on board Vietnam-registered ships, where are produced as follows.

1. Fire extinguishers and portable foam applicators
(1) Fire extinguishers and portable foam applicators shall be checked for condition and serviced at interval not more than 12 months by a recognized company.
(2) Fire fighting medium of fire extinguishers shall be replaced as follows:
(I) foam: 12 months
(ii) dry powder: in accordance with manufacturer's instruction but not more than 5 years.
(iii) CO2: quantity of CO2 shall be checked at interval not more than 12 months. If the remaining quantity is less than 90% compared to specification of the manufacturer, the extinguisher shall be recharged.
(3) Form-making liquid of portable foam applicators shall be replaced at interval not more than 2 years.
(4) All portable and movable fire extinguishers provided on board shall be tested under hydraulic pressure every 10 years, the starting point being the date of manufacture. The result of the test shall be reported in the records. Upon completion of the pressure test with satisfactory result, the date of test shall be carved on the fire extinguisher.

2. Fixed fire extinguishing systems
(1) Fixed fire extinguishing systems provided on board shall be serviced by a recognized company at interval not more than 24 months. The result of the service shall be reported in the records which is to be submitted to the attending surveyor at each periodical survey of safety equipment.
(2) At the service specified above (1), if quantity of CO2 or halon in the CO2 or halon bottles is less than 90% compared to specification of the manufacturer, the bottles shall be recharged.
(3) Foam-making compound of fixed foam shall be tested for quality after 5 years from the date of charging into foam compound tank and then after that this test is to be repeated at interval not more than 12 months. The test shall be carried out by a recognized laboratory. The result of the test shall be reported in the records which is to be submitted to the attending surveyor at each periodical survey of safety equipment.
(To be continued)

(4) Hydrostatic testing of CO2 bottles of CO2 extinguishing systems shall be carried out at interval not more than 10 years. At each test, at least 10% of the total CO2 bottles shall be hydrostatically tested. Attention shall be paid that the tested bottles are not ones that were tested at the last testing. If any single bottles found defective, all remaining bottles are to be tested at those testing.
(5) If a CO2 bottle is recharged and it has not been hydrostatically tested since last 10 years, then it shall be subject to hydrostatic test.
(6) The date of hydrostatic test shall be carved on the CO2 bottles.
(7) Foam compound tank of foam fire extinguishing systems shall be subject to internal examination and hydrostatic test at the time of charging foam compound, provided that maximum interval between two consecutive examinations and tests is not more than 10 years.

3. Fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems
Fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems provided on board shall be serviced by a recognized company at interval not more than 24 months. The result of the service shall be reported in the records which is to be submitted to the attending surveyor at each periodical survey of safety equipment.

4. Fire-fighter's outfit and e