Tech File: Containership Major Adopts Container FiFi System Fleetwide

A.P. Moller - Maersk will equip its fleet with the HydroPen firefighting system from Viking Life-Saving Equipment.

With fires inside containers on fully laden containerships remaining a major security risk for the industry, A.P. Moller - Maersk has opted to adopt HydroPen, which is designed for direct firefighting in stacked shipping containers onboard commercial vessels. The contract represents the single largest HydroPen order for VIKING Life-Saving Equipment - and will see systems delivered for the entire fleet of A.P. Moller - Maersk owned vessels.

HydroPen is unique in the sense that it is driven purely by water pressure through an attached deck fire hose. When water pressure is activated, a turbine will drive the HydroPen drilling unit until it penetrates the container door, whereupon the system will spray water into the container to extinguish the fire directly at the source. In the case of a fire at height in the container stack, the HydroPen system can be deployed using a telescopic device. Beyond water, the system is compatible with foam or even CO2.