TT Club is warning cargo handling and terminals operators that fire remains a major cause of damage and losses to port and terminal equipment.
The insurance specialist’s analysis of a decade of claims shows that of nearly 1,600 fire-related claims it has received over that period, 19% have involved this equipment. With some minor variation over the years, the percentage has remained relatively consistent.
“Fire risk not only poses a significant concern in terms of insured losses and obvious operational disruption, fire also presents a real and significant risk to the safety of the workforce, facility visitors and users and the general public,” said Neil Dalus from TT’s Loss Prevention department.
“As a result we strongly advise that fire detection and suppression systems in port equipment are considered by operators as critical safety measures.”
TT Club commends the recent white paper by the Port Equipment Manufacturing Association (PEMA]) entitled ‘Fire Detection and Suppression Systems for Mobile Port Equipment’, which it says emphases the importance of regular maintenance, risk assessments, adherence to industry standards and mandatory regulations.
Among the essential information contained in the PEMA white paper are the range of available technologies for fire detection and suppression, current trends in electrification and automation together with their risks and environmental considerations.
“TT joins with PEMA in urging the installation of state-of-the-art fire suppression systems in all port equipment together with strict adherence to manufacturers’ service protocols and remote monitoring for autonomous equipment,” said Dalus.
“We advise the close collaboration between fire suppression system suppliers, equipment manufacturers and port operators in tackling the dangerous trend in the consistent risk of fire.”
