The present thesis aims to present the Port of Koper, the only international cargo port in Slovenia. First, an overview is given of all milestones and the evolution of the port since its establishment with future projections of development. The thesis goes on to describe the Rescue and Protection Plan as a key document for the functioning of the port. It foresees in detail the envisaged response of emergency services, namely the professional fire brigade PGE Port of Koper in the case of industrial accidents in the areas under concession agreement; the description also includes a classification of accidents. The thesis then focuses on the organisational aspects of the professional fire-brigade unit and the main sections of fire security in the Port of Koper that would be activated in the case of possible fire intervention on a docked cargo vessel or for protecting key port infrastructure.
The entire thesis centres around the main issue of a potential fire on docked vessels and the ensuing port fire brigade response. Different chapters deal with the main characteristics of a cargo vessel, its different units and fire protection systems. The overview also includes a list of areas most frequently attained by fires, a set of prevention measures in place in order to eliminate any possibility of fire, and, in the worse-case scenario, how can the flames be contained and extinguished as quickly as possible. Through a CIIS report, an interview with the head of operation and a timeline of events, the case study details the work of the crew and fire fighters participating in the operation who – by joining forces and thanks to fast and adequate responses by the head of operation and captain of the vessel – managed to effectively contain the fire in the machine room of the MV Bremer Anna cargo vessel. The last chapter clearly shows how the intervention grew from a “small” and “medium-sized” accident to the possibility of a “serious” accident.
|