21OCT2019 - NEWS - IUMI: It’s time to take action against containership fires

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has called for an urgent improvement to on board firefighting systems in light of the alarming number of containership fires in 2019 so far.

This year fires have broken out on the Yantian Express, APL Vancouver, Grande America, E.R. Kobe and KMTC Hong Kong and IUMI has become more concerned with the escalation.

The union strengthened its position on this global issue.

Helle Hammer, chair of IUMI’s policy forum, said: “Fire-fighting capabilities onboard containerships are deficient and we need to see more headway to improve the safety of the crew, the environment, the cargo and the ships themselves.