Code of Federal Regulations (alpha)

CFR /  Title 46  /  Part 27  /  Sec. 27.203 What are the requirements for fire detection on towing

You must have a fire-detection system installed on your vessel to detect engine-room fires. Any owner of a vessel whose construction was contracted for before January 18, 2000, may use an existing engine-room-monitoring system (with fire-detection capability) instead of a fire-detection system, if the monitoring system is operable and complies with this section. You must ensure that--

(a) Each detector, each control panel, and each fire alarm are approved under 46 CFR subpart 161.002 or listed by an independent testing laboratory; except that, if you use an existing engine-room-monitoring system (with fire-detection capability), each detector must be listed by an independent testing laboratory;

(b) The system is installed, tested, and maintained in line with the manufacturer's design manual;

(c) The system is arranged and installed so a fire in the engine room automatically sets off alarms on a control panel at the operating station;

(d) The control panel includes--

(1) A power-available light;

(2) Both an audible alarm to notify crew at the operating station of fire and visible alarms to identify the zone or zones of origin of the fire;

(3) A means to silence the audible alarm while maintaining indication by the visible alarms;

(4) A circuit-fault detector test-switch; and

(5) Labels for all switches and indicator lights, identifying their functions;

(e) The system draws power from two sources, switchover from the primary source to the secondary source being either manual or automatic;

(f) The system serves no other purpose, unless it is an engine-room-monitoring system (with fire-detection capability) installed on a vessel whose construction was contracted for before January 18, 2000; and

(g) The system is certified by a Registered Professional Engineer, or by a recognized classification society (under 46 CFR part 8), to comply with paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section.