The Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization(IMO) adopted the Initial Greenhouse Gas(GHG) Reduction Strategy at its 72nd session, and subsequently revised it at the 80th session in 2023 to advance the re...
The Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization(IMO) adopted the Initial Greenhouse Gas(GHG) Reduction Strategy at its 72nd session, and subsequently revised it at the 80th session in 2023 to advance the reduction time-line and strengthen its targets. According to the revised strategy, the IMO aims to reduce annual GHG emissions by 70% by 2040 and ultimately achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In line with these strengthened environmental regulations, the development of technologies related to eco-friendly fuel propulsion systems such as LNG, — methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen is rapidly progressing. This study examines whether current regulations sufficiently address these technological changes, focusing particularly on the adequacy of fire protection regulations designed to prevent flame spread during fire incidents. The International Code for Application of Fire Test Procedures(FTP Code) aims to prevent the spread of fire from one compartment to another within a ship, thereby ensuring sufficient evacuation time. The Code specifies fire resistance test methods and criteria for materials used onboard, adopting the Standard Heating Curve based on cellulose-fueled fires. As defined in ISO 834-1:2014, the standard heating curve represents typical fires fueled by wood, paper, or textiles, where the rate of temperature rise is relatively moderate and the maximum temperature stabilizes around 900 1000 .℃– In this study, to propose potential revisions to the FTP Code through comparative analysis of flame temperatures by fuel type, fire simulations were conducted using Pyrosim for LNG, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen. The flame temperatures and fire characteristics of each fuel were analyzed, and the applicability of the standard heating curve currently used in the FTP Code was evaluated. The Results showed that the flame temperatures of eco-friendly fuels were significantly higher than those of cellulose-based(wood) fires represented by the standard curve, indicating that the existing FTP Code model may not adequately reflect the characteristics of these new fuels. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the adequacy of the current FTP Code in ensuring fire safety for ships using eco-friendly fuels and to propose potential improvements that may be reflected in future IMO regulation revisions, thereby contributing to enhanced fire safety in the era of decarbonization and strengthened environmental policies. Keywords : FTP Code, Eco-friendly fuel, Fire characteristics, Pyrosim, Standard Heating Curve, Hydrocarbon Fire Curve