Although shipping losses have more than halved over the past decade [1], fires on board vessels remain among the biggest safety issues for the maritime industry. AGCS analysis of over 240,000 marine insurance industry claims between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, worth approximately €9.2bn in value, shows that these are the most expensive cause of loss, accounting for 18% of the value of all claims. As recent events have demonstrated, roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) car carriers [2], the largest of which can hold as many as 8,000 vehicles, can be susceptible to fire risks (see box), while there have also been a number of blazes on container ships [3]. (....)