Electric and hybrid-propulsion tugboats have driven production of electrically powered fire-fighting (FiFi) systems, says Marsis sales and marketing engineer Gorkem Kahraman.
Demand for FiFi systems with one pump using power take-off (PTO) modules from a main engine is also increasing, as tugs are built with compact designs.
“We have started to offer and supply single-pump solutions for FiFi1 systems instead of having two pumps,” Mr Kahraman says. “The pump is driven by a main engine PTO and power transmission is done through a hydraulic clutch unit. This solution is much more compact than step-up gearbox solutions.” Other FiFi providers are also offering single-pump solutions.
Marsis provides FiFi1, FiFi2 and FiFi3 applications, according to rules from the International Association of Classification Societies and a non-classified FiFi system. The capacity ranges of the pumps are between 100 m³/hr to 2,800 m³/hr and monitors are 100-2,400 m³/hr.
“Because more electric and hybrid ships are being built, we believe there will be more electric-driven FiFi systems in the future,” says Mr Kahraman.
Marsis is delivering FiFi1 systems to a series of eight new tugboats under construction in a Turkish shipyard after gaining the contract in Q4 2022, with deliveries scheduled for April to June 2023.
Mr Kahraman says Marsis signed a contract in February 2023 to supply FiFi1 systems for six vessels being built in India. The Turkish company is also supplying eight FiFi sets for vessels being built in a French territory.
Fire Fighting Systems (FFS) upgraded its product range in 2022 following the latest industry trends. “We have modified both our containerised solutions (1,200 m3/hr and 300 m3/hr) and monitor nozzle range,” FFS tells International Tug & Salvage. “We now have more nozzles available for several size monitors.”
FFS had a hectic year of new FiFi contracts with orders for 308 vessels in 2022, up from 239 ordered in 2021. FFS also passed the milestone of delivering 10,000 FFS monitors in total deliveries to customers in 2022.
Most orders were for newbuilding tugs, but FFS also sees a trend of increased retrofitting and demand for containerised solutions on deck.
FFS has employed more staff to handle the increased order income and has upgraded its factory to streamline production and ensure systems are delivered on time with the correct quality. FiFi systems are factory tested to ensure quality and consistency in deliveries.
FFS says it is the only external fire-fighting supplier worldwide that tests the complete pump and transmission at maximum load, with equipment to test up to 2,000 kW.
Most new orders are for FiFi1 systems on tugboats as the worldwide construction of these vessels remains high, but contracts for fireboats and new offshore support vessels are also growing.
“We have secured several good orders for fireboats, and we see this demand continuing to grow,” says FFS. “Fireboats are the most complicated systems we deliver with capacity up to 14,400 m3/hr capacity supplied to match monitor capacity.”
FFS has supplied systems for most of the largest fireboats in the world. Fireboat projects usually represent around 8-10% of FFS annual turnover.
There are indications owners of offshore support vessels, anchor handling tugs and vessels for oceangoing towage are considering newbuildings in the near future.
“We have been working closely with several design offices for solutions for new vessels, and we hope to see this market slowly recover,” says FFS.
“There is still some distance to go, but to see newbuilding plans being created means hopefully we will see some improvement on orders within the next few years.”
Aksis Yangın Söndürme Sistemleri (Aksisfire) is “continuously researching and developing control systems and other components of dedicated fire extinguishing systems,” says managing director Bener Bas.
Aksisfire has delivered MX1230 (Novec1230) clean gas, fire detection and alarm, carbon dioxide, dry powder, water mist and foam fire extinguishing systems to leading Turkish shipyards such as Sanmar, Uzmar and Med Marine, to Detroit Shipyard in Brazil and other global yards.
“They are being built and tested in our own fire test centre to unconditionally meet customers’ requirements, with the high quality and standards required for global competition, and to comply with all international standards,” says Mr Bas.
Aksisfire has designed, manufactured and supplied fire extinguishing systems to ships all over the world for 29 years, with 1,800 modules delivered to more than 800 ships by 2022.