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Technical Notices

Revised Guidelines for the Maintenance and Inspections of Fixed Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing System

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IMO vide Circular –MSC.1/Circ. 1318/Rev.1 has approved revised Guidelines for the maintenance and inspections of fixed carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing system which modifies paragraph 6.1.2 of the annex to introduce changes to the hydrostatic testing intervals for fixed CO₂ fire-extinguishing systems.

While the ten percent (10%) of the total number of CO2 cylinders shall still be tested at the 10-year inspection, but the 20-year test regime has been expanded from testing another 10% to testing all cylinders not tested so far (90%). All cylinders (100%) to be tested at every 10-year anniversary thereafter.

The revised requirements states that:

“The hydrostatic test date of all storage containers should be checked. High-pressure cylinders should be subjected to periodical tests at intervals not exceeding 10 years. At the 10-year inspection, at least 10% of the total number provided should be subjected to an internal inspection and hydrostatic test. If one or more cylinders fail, a total of 50% of the onboard cylinders should be tested. If further cylinders fail, all cylinders should be tested. Before the 20-year anniversary and every 10-year anniversary thereafter, all cylinders should be subjected to a hydrostatic test”.

When the CO2 cylinders are removed for hydrostatic test, they should be replaced such that the quantity of fire-extinguishing medium continues to satisfy the requirements of 2.2.1 of chapter 5 of the FSS Code, subject to SOLAS regulation II-2/14.2.

Further, at least once every five years, internal inspection of all control valves to be performed (aligned with the requirements of MSC.1/Circ.1432).

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