ClassNK has released Edition 2.0 of its container carrier fire-fighting guidelines, integrating operational feedback and industry developments to enhance proactive vessel safety. The updated framework introduces practical criteria such as lashing bridge hydrants and refined video monitoring specifications to help operators secure validating class notations.
Tokyo, Japan | July 27, 2026 – As container ship sizes scale up and cargo profiles grow increasingly complex, classification society ClassNK has released Edition 2.0 of its “Guidelines for Additional Fire-fighting Measures for Container Carrier.”
Building on the original framework introduced in April 2023, the updated guidelines integrate practical operational feedback from container vessels in service, insights from recent IMO discussions, and cost-effectiveness considerations. The framework is designed to help shipowners and operators implement enhanced, proactive fire safety measures that stretch beyond mandatory international conventions, while offering clear class notations to validate these upgrades to external stakeholders.
What’s New in Edition 2.0?
While international rules provide a baseline for vessel safety, the shifting nature of containerized cargo, particularly concerning lithium-ion batteries and hazardous materials, has driven demand for robust, localized fire-fighting capabilities. Edition 2.0 refines these requirements to strike a practical balance between operational utility and commercial feasibility:
- Lashing Bridge Hydrants: Explicitly adds criteria for installing fire hydrants directly on lashing bridges, enabling rapid, tactical fire-fighting interventions in the thick of weather deck stacks.
- Enhanced Early Detection: Integrates updated protocols for video monitoring systems designed to catch anomalies early in weather deck cargo areas.
- Rationalized Equipment Specifications: Adjusts mandatory equipment counts to reflect actual onboard operating conditions. Notably, the required number of fixed monitoring cameras has been streamlined from eight to two, while clarifying the targeted utilization of portable infrared thermographic cameras during active fire patrols and suppression operations.
Supporting Practical Safety Beyond Regulation
ClassNK’s latest revision underscores a broader industry push toward proactive risk mitigation. By complying with the updated criteria, operators can secure dedicated class notations that visibly demonstrate their commitment to safety to charterers, ports, and underwriters.
The guidelines are available for download to registered users via the “Guidelines” section of My Page on the ClassNK website. Further certification services and technical support regarding the new standards are available directly through the classification society‘s global network.
About ClassNK
Established in 1899, ClassNK is a classification society dedicated to safety and environmental protection through third-party certification. ClassNK conducts diverse technical services, including surveys and classifications of ships and marine structures based on its own rules and international conventions on behalf of more than 100 flag states, as well as management system certifications in line with ISO and other industry standards. ClassNK is committed to providing the industry with full support to tackle digitalization and decarbonization challenges through expanding certification services and R&D with industry partners.
Source: ClassNK