New Fire Drill Guidelines for Vehicle Carrying Vessels

The guidelines focus on operational readiness, decision-making and coordination. They place particular emphasis on rapid fire confirmation, fast muster, safe crew deployment and the early and correct use of fixed firefighting systems to help prevent a fire from escalating.  

These Guidelines: 

• Are principle-based, not prescriptive, recognising the wide variation in vessel design, equipment, cargo configuration, and trade. 

• Do not provide detailed, ship-specific procedures. 

• Focus on operational readiness, decision-making, and coordination during fire incidents. 

• Should be adapted to incorporate emerging technologies or systems where these are available for use on board. 

Download the guidelines here:

About the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum 

The Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum’s purpose is to promote safety on vehicle carrying vessels and at the ship/shore interface. The forum was initiated in 2020 and since then has grown to include numerous vessel operators, insurers and industry experts.  

This is the third industry good practice guideline published by the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum. In March 2024, the Forum announced its first guidelines, Common Guidance on Vehicle Loading and Presentation and in April 2025 it published a Guidance on fire response onboard vehicle carriers.