Fire safety inspections on ships are being intensified by order of the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, with a particular focus on garage areas. This comes in the wake of a fire incident that occurred yesterday in a refrigeration unit of a refrigerated truck (while it was being powered) inside the garage of the Ro-Pax ferry “Superfast I,” which had departed from the port of Bari, Italy, bound for Igoumenitsa.

As part of the emergency inspections being carried out throughout the summer season by the relevant Ship Inspection Division, additional checks will take place covering both active and passive fire protection systems on vessels. At the same time, special emphasis will be placed on crew familiarization through the execution of fire safety drills.

Ro-Pax vessels operating short international routes between Greek and Italian ports are inspected—according to EU legislation—twice a year by authorized Greek and Italian inspectors: once while docked and a second time during a regular voyage.