Start hereRules checked 20 October 2026
Every lesson so far has ended with a schedule: weekly lamp tests, monthly samples of detectors, quarterly damper tests, annual foam samples, two-yearly CO2 weighing, five-yearly valve inspections, ten and twenty-yearly cylinder tests. On a real ship all of these run at once, across a dozen systems, done partly by the crew and partly by visiting technicians, and checked by the class surveyor and any port State control officer who walks up the gangway.
SOLAS regulation II-2/14 asks for one thing that ties it together: a maintenance plan, kept on board and available for inspection. In the 2012 joint Paris and Tokyo MOU campaign on fire safety systems, the question “Is there a maintenance plan on board to show that fire protection systems and fire-fighting systems and appliances have been properly tested and inspected?” was answered “no” in 5.5% of Tokyo MOU inspections. This lesson shows how to make sure your ship is never in that group.
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In this lesson
- Fixed fire systems from weekly to twenty-yearly
- In plain words
- In detail
- What the rules say
- Flag and class notes
- Key numbers
- What inspectors find
- Quiz: 6 questions
Try it
Fixed fire systems from weekly to twenty-yearly
In plain words
A maintenance plan is a list. For every fire system on board it says what is checked, how often, by whom, following which instructions, and where the result is written down. It sounds like paperwork, and much of it is, but it is the only way to be sure that the CO2 bank weighed two years ago, the foam sampled last year and the detector in the paint store tested in 2022 are not forgotten.
Three ideas make a good plan:
- Everything is in it. SOLAS lists the systems that must be covered, from fire mains to fire doors. Missing one system is the most common way a plan fails an audit.
- It says who. Some checks are crew work. Others need a technician trained on that system. The plan must say which, and the crew must not do specialist work just because the technician is late.
- It leaves a trail. Each check leaves a record: date, name, result, defects, what was done about them. When a technician does the work, their report goes in the file.
The plan also has to answer one awkward question: what protects the ship while a system is out of service for maintenance? If the CO2 cylinders are ashore for testing, the engine room still needs a fixed fire system.
In detail
What SOLAS II-2/14 requires
The purpose of SOLAS II-2/14 is that fire protection systems and fire-fighting systems and appliances are “maintained ready for use” and “properly tested and inspected”. This applies at all times while the ship is in service; a ship is not in service when it is in for repairs or laid up, declared out of service by the owner, or (for passenger ships) has no passengers on board.
The plan must cover at least, where installed:
| SOLAS II-2/14.2.2.3 | Lessons in this course |
|---|---|
| Fire mains, fire pumps, hydrants, hoses, nozzles and international shore connections | (see the portable equipment course) |
| Fixed fire detection and fire alarm systems | 6 |
| Fixed fire-extinguishing systems and other fire-extinguishing appliances | 1 to 5 |
| Automatic sprinkler, fire detection and fire alarm systems | 4 |
| Ventilation systems, including fire and smoke dampers, fans and their controls | 5, 7 |
| Emergency shutdown of fuel supply | (annual test of fuel shut-offs linked to fire systems) |
| Fire doors, including their controls | 7 |
| General emergency alarm systems | |
| Emergency escape breathing devices | |
| Portable fire extinguishers, including spare charges | |
| Fire-fighter’s outfits |
Passenger ships carrying more than 36 passengers add low-location lighting and public address systems. Tankers add inert gas systems, deck foam systems, fire safety arrangements in cargo pump-rooms, and flammable gas detectors. The plan may be computer-based.
The IMO guidelines behind the plan
SOLAS II-2/14.2.2.1 requires maintenance, testing and inspection “based on the guidelines developed by the Organization”. Those are:
- MSC.1/Circ.1432 (as amended by MSC.1/Circ.1516): all fire protection systems and appliances except fixed CO2 systems and portable extinguishers. It sets weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, two-year, five-year and ten-year actions.
- MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1: fixed CO2 systems.
- Resolution A.951(23): portable fire extinguishers.
- MSC.1/Circ.1312 (with MSC/Circ.670 and MSC/Circ.798): foam concentrates.
The manufacturer’s instructions apply on top of all of these, and where an arrangement makes a guideline impractical, alternative testing must be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
Who does what
MSC.1/Circ.1432 says certain procedures and inspections may be done by competent crew members who have completed an advanced fire-fighting training course, while others should be done by persons specially trained in the maintenance of such systems; the plan must say which. MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 adds that the CO2 two-yearly or renewal-survey tests of release controls should be done by service technicians or specialists trained to standards accepted by the Administration. A practical split:
| Typically crew | Typically specialist |
|---|---|
| Weekly panel tests, valve position checks, monthly visual inspections | Weighing and refilling CO2 and pilot cylinders |
| Monthly detector sampling with approved test kit | Pilot line and time delay tests, activating heads |
| Quarterly damper and door tests | Internal inspection of control valves |
| Fire pump runs, foam tank level checks | Foam concentrate analysis (laboratory) |
| Taking foam samples | Hydrostatic tests and recharging |
| Annual inspections where the plan allows | Sprinkler head function tests, proportioner tests |
Keeping the ship protected during maintenance
MSC.1/Circ.1432, section 2, requires that if a fire protection system is undergoing maintenance, testing or repair, suitable arrangements are made so that safety is not diminished, for example alternative fixed or portable equipment, and the plan must provide for this. MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 requires CO2 cylinders removed for testing to be replaced so that the remaining quantity still meets the FSS Code. Plan the big items (20-year CO2 hydrotests, foam replacement, sprinkler head batch replacement) around dry-dockings and agree interim measures with the company and the RO in advance.
Records
MSC.1/Circ.1432 says records should be carried on board or kept on computer, and that technicians other than the crew should give an inspection report at the end of their work. A good record for each check shows:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| System and item | CO2 system, bank B, cylinders 1-65 |
| Check and reference | Two-yearly weighing, MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1 6.1.1 |
| Done by | Service company name, technician, approval reference |
| Date and next due | 12 March 2026; due by the next periodical survey |
| Result | 63 above 90%; 2 refilled |
| Defects and actions | Cylinder 17 valve leaking: replaced, leak-tested |
| Attachments | Service report, weighing sheet, cylinder test certificates |
Keep the analysis certificates for foam, the cylinder test certificates and the sprinkler water quality results with the plan; flags such as the Marshall Islands list them among the required records.
How surveys and PSC use the plan
At the annual survey for the Safety Equipment Certificate, the surveyor examines the fixed systems and checks the maintenance records; at periodical and renewal surveys they confirm the foam and CO2 have been checked and the pipework proved clear. A PSC officer will usually ask to see the plan and the last records for the systems they test, and compare dates with the intervals. An item overdue on paper is a deficiency even if the equipment works.
What the rules say
- SOLAS regulation II-2/14.1 requires fire protection systems and fire-fighting systems and appliances to be “maintained ready for use” and “properly tested and inspected”.3
- SOLAS regulation II-2/14.2.2.1 requires maintenance, testing and inspections to be carried out based on the IMO guidelines and “having due regard to ensuring the reliability of fire-fighting systems and appliances”.3
- SOLAS regulation II-2/14.2.2.2 requires the maintenance plan to be kept on board and available for inspection whenever required by the Administration.3
- SOLAS regulation II-2/14.2.2.3 lists the systems the plan must cover at least, and regulation 14.4 adds inert gas, deck foam, cargo pump-room fire safety and flammable gas detectors for tankers.3
- MSC.1/Circ.1432, paragraph 3.2, allows some work by competent crew members who have completed an advanced fire-fighting course and requires the plan to say which work needs persons specially trained in the systems.1
- MSC.1/Circ.1432, paragraph 3.3, requires records of inspections to be carried on board (or computer-based) and inspection reports from technicians other than the crew at the end of their work.1
- MSC.1/Circ.1432, section 2, requires suitable arrangements so safety is not diminished while a system is under maintenance, testing or repair.1
- MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1, section 3, says the CO2 maintenance plan should be included in the ship’s safety management system and based on the maker’s recommendations, including procedures, schedules, spare parts and records.2
- MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1, paragraph 6.1, sets the CO2 two-yearly interval at 2 years ± 3 months for passenger ships and at each intermediate, periodical or renewal survey for cargo ships.2
Flag and class notes
- Marshall Islands (Marine Notice 2-011-14, Rev. Aug/2025) requires the onboard maintenance plan to be documented in the safety management system, to mark which work is for competent crew and which for other trained personnel, and to keep records of weekly to 20-year checks, water quality, foam age and controls, and deficiencies with corrective actions. Where a system is under repair, the RO must give a recommendation to the Administrator before sailing.5
- Bahamas (Marine Notice 79, version 2.2) requires records of weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, two-yearly, five-yearly and ten-year checks and of deficiencies and corrective actions, and requires the RO to refer the ship to the BMA before issuing or endorsing a Safety Equipment Certificate if the requirements are not met.6
- Panama (Merchant Marine Circular MMC-281, October 2025) applies MSC.1/Circ.1432, as amended, to all ships including MODU Code units, and requires the RO to request authorisation through SEGUMAR for a conditional certificate where equipment does not comply.7
- Class: the HSSC survey guidelines (resolution A.1186(33), 2023) set what the surveyor examines and tests at annual, periodical and renewal Safety Equipment surveys; many class societies publish checklists based on them.4
Key numbers
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| CO2 crew visual inspection | At least every 30 days2 |
| Detectors and call points, all tested | Within 5 years (monthly sample)1 |
| Fire dampers, local test | Quarterly1 |
| Foam concentrate samples | Yearly; first test within 3 years of supply under MSC.1/Circ.1312 (see lesson 3)1 |
| CO2 weighing, passenger ships | 2 years ± 3 months2 |
| CO2 refill threshold | Below 90% of nominal charge2 |
| Control valve internal inspection | Every 5 years1 |
| CO2 cylinder hydrostatic test | 10% at 10 years; all at 20 years and every 10 after2 |
| Flexible hoses, gas systems | Renewed at most every 10 years2 |
| Items in the SOLAS II-2/14.2.2.3 list | 11, plus extra items for passenger ships and tankers3 |
What inspectors find
- In the 2012 Paris and Tokyo MOU fire safety campaign, no adequate maintenance plan showing that systems had been properly tested and inspected in 5.5% of Tokyo MOU inspections, and systems not maintained ready for use in 11%.8
- In the 2023 joint campaign on fire safety, Tokyo MOU inspectors recorded 2,860 campaign deficiencies on 1,287 ships and detained 88 ships for campaign items.9
- Plans copied from a template that list systems the ship does not have and miss ones it does (for example a galley duct system or a local application system).3
- Records that show checks “done” with no results, technician reports missing, or overdue specialist items (CO2 weighing, foam analysis, 10 and 20-year tests).1
- No arrangements recorded for a system out of service, for example CO2 cylinders ashore for testing without replacements or flag agreement.1
FAQ
Is MSC.1/Circ.1432 mandatory?
The circular itself is guidance, but SOLAS II-2/14.2.2.1 requires maintenance “based on the guidelines developed by the Organization”, and many flags (the Bahamas, Marshall Islands and Panama among them) apply or recommend it in their notices. In practice, surveyors and PSC officers expect it to be followed.
Can we use our planned maintenance software as the plan?
Yes. SOLAS II-2/14.2.2.4 allows the maintenance programme to be computer-based. Make sure it lists every system in II-2/14.2.2.3, shows who does each job, and can print the records for an inspector.
What if our intervals differ from the maker's?
Follow both: the IMO guidelines set minimums, and MSC.1/Circ.1432 paragraph 3.4 says the manufacturer’s maintenance and inspection guidelines should also be followed. Where they conflict, the more frequent interval usually governs; ask the maker and the RO if unsure.
The service technician is late and the weighing is due. May the crew do it?
Only if the plan allows crew to do it and they are competent and have the right equipment. Otherwise, record the situation, inform the company and RO, and get the work done at the next opportunity; do not fake the record.
Quiz6 questions
Sources
- 1
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432, Revised guidelines for the maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems and appliances (31 May 2012), as amended by MSC.1/Circ.1516 (8 June 2015), annex, sections 1 to 10 (consolidated copy annexed to Cayman Islands Shipping Notice 01/2014 Rev 2). https://www.cishipping.com/system/files/notices/documents/CISN%202014_01%20Rev%202%20with%20Annex.pdf
- 2
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1, Revised guidelines for the maintenance and inspections of fixed carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing systems (25 May 2021), annex, sections 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7. https://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/msnote/pdf/msin2136anx1.pdf
- 3
IMO Resolution MSC.99(73), revised SOLAS chapter II-2 (adopted 5 December 2000, in force 1 July 2002), regulation II-2/14 (Operational readiness and maintenance), paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4, as amended. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/MSCResolutions/MSC.99(73).pdf
- 4
IMO Resolution A.1186(33), Survey guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2023 (adopted 6 December 2023), annex, (EA) 1.2.2 and (EP) 1.3.2. https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/KnowledgeCentre/IndexofIMOResolutions/AssemblyDocuments/A.1186(33).pdf
- 5
Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator, Marine Notice 2-011-14 (Rev. Aug/2025), sections 1, 3 and 12. https://www.register-iri.com/wp-content/uploads/MN-2-011-14.pdf
- 6
Bahamas Maritime Authority, Marine Notice 79, Firefighting Equipment, version 2.2 (20 November 2025), sections 10 and 11. https://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/pdf/activities/statutory/solas/solas_treaty/fire_protection/circular/ci_fi_bahama.pdf
- 7
Panama Maritime Authority, Merchant Marine Circular MMC-281 (October 2025), paragraphs 3 and 4.1.2. https://flagadmin.com/upload/userfiles/Panama/MMC-281-OCTOBER-2025-CM.pdf
- 8
Tokyo MOU, Report of the 2012 Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Fire Safety Systems (November 2013), section 3, questions 5a and 5b. https://www.tokyo-mou.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/Final-Tokyo-MOU-Report-FSS-CIC-public-web-site.pdf
- 9
Tokyo MOU, Annual Report on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region 2023, results of the 2023 CIC on Fire Safety, as summarised by SAFETY4SEA. https://safety4sea.com/tokyo-mou-psc-annual-report-2023
Rules checked 20 October 2026. VSL Safety is not an approved training provider and doesn't issue certificates. These lessons don't replace STCW training, or the manufacturer's training and certification that service technicians need.
