Firefighting foam is a foam used for fire suppression. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen, thus achieving suppression of the combustion.

Synthetic foams

• Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
• Alcohol Resistant Film Forming Foam (AR-FFF)
• Fluorine-Free Foams

Protein foams

• Protein Foam
• Fluoroprotein
• Film Forming Fluoroprotein (FFFP)
• Alcohol-Resistant Film Forming Fluoroprotein (AR-FFFP)

SYNTHETIC FOAMS:

1. a)Aqueous Film Forming Foam: AFFF is an efficient foam used for fighting high-hazard flammable liquid fires involving oil, diesel, aviation fuels etc. AFFF is used on ships and shore facility fire suppression systems, firefighting vehicles and at fire training facilities. This foam can be applied to the flammable liquid fire using aspirating or non-aspirating discharge devices. It is compatible with all dry chemical powders and can be used in powder/foam twin agent systems. AFFF has an unequalled speed in fire control.
2. b) Alcohol Resistant Film Forming Foam:The AR-AFFF foams are used for quick extinguishment of large-scale Class-B fires. These foams are required when fuels are water-miscible such as alcohol, acetone. AR-AFFF foams are required in high-risk facilities in the oil & gas industries and places like refineries, ship vessels, tank farms and pharmaceutical sites. This high-performance foam can be applied in direct and indirect application by using a wide range of firefighting equipment. It can either be used in low, high or medium expansion on the burning spill.
3. c) Fluorine-Free Foam:This eco-friendly firefighting foam is used for Class A & Class B fires. It offers a variety of solutions for extinguishing fires at major airports, fire brigades, marine oil & gas companies, chemical plants and foam applications and systems. It’s used worldwide and ensures the fire safety of the environment and human health. It is applied with a gentle and force application method and can be used in the low, medium and high expansion. The application is extensive since it’s biodegradable and does not cause toxic effects, minimizing the effects on human health.

Protein foam: The protein foam is highly effective in suppressing fires in a wider range of industries and related applications. This foam is typically used for onboard marine systems, refineries, storage facilities, transfer stations

1. a) Fluoro protein: This foam is used for suppression on Class B hydrocarbon fuel fires such as gasoline and benzene. Fluoroprotein Foam with Alcohol Resistance (FPAR) can be applied for fighting Class B polar solvent fuel fires like ketones and alcohols. This solution is very well suited for fire suppression in fixed, semi-fixed and emergency response applications. Fluoro Protein is essentially used to put-off fires on oil & gas tank farms, refineries, transfer stations, onboard marine systems and storage facilities.
2. b) Film-forming fluoro protein:Whenever there is a high-risk situation involved The FFFP is the most ideal fuel solution. This fuel is applied when hydrocarbons like crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene are being stored somewhere, transported or processed. It is used at major military bases and international airports where quick extinguishment and postfire security where restricted quantities of foam concentrate are required.
3. c) Alcohol-resistant film-forming fluoro protein:The ARFF-P foam is well-suited for extinguishing polar solvent liquid fires and flammable hydrocarbons. It provides great post-fire security almost as equal to a top-quality synthetic ARFF-P.

Ships and other maritime vessels carry large quantities of fuel and other combustible materials. With limited firefighting equipment, it can result in a catastrophic event.
The fires at sea pose a heightened risk to ship owners, carriers, cargo insurers and life and property on the whole. Fire especially poses a risk to container ships since the cargo is mostly transferred to containers before the ship owners receive it.
Quite often, highly-flammable substances like Calcium Hypochlorite used in swimming pools or to treat drinking water are carried on the ship against stringent guidelines. Dishonest shippers declare it as a more stable compound to avoid paying high freights thus raising the risk of on-board container ships’ fire.
In a ship, the engine room is the most conducive area for a fire to erupt. There’s machinery functioning at super high temperatures with ample fuel running through pipes, in turn generating tons of exhaust. A small fuel leak on a hot surface will ignite ablaze.
Sometimes a fire can be caused by human error (cigarettes, failure to turn off galley stoves or cargo lights) or a sudden electrical glitch.
While on yet another occasion, oil rags used to clean and preserve machinery are soaked in lubricants and oils that are highly inflammable and can self-ignite at heightened temperatures.

Low Expansion Foam Concentratesare regulated by MSC.1/Circ.1312. The concentrates should be subjected in Periodical controls and testing of their quality. The first periodical control of foam concentrates should be performed not more than 3 years after being supplied to the ship, and after that, every year.

High Expansion Foam Concentratesare regulated by MSC.1/Circ.670. The concentrates should be subjected to Periodical controls and testing of their quality.The first periodical control of foam concentrates stored onboard should be performed aftera period of 3 years and, after that, every year.A record of theage of the foam concentrates and of subsequent controls should be kept onboard.