Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) conducted a fire extinguishing test by burning a scrapped, gasoline vehicle in the fire extinguishing test building of the Technical Center of Kashiwa Tech Co., Ltd. (Bando City, Ibaraki Prefecture) on October 17, 2025. In the test, it was assumed that a fire would occur inside the hold of a car carrier. The goal was to learn how to extinguish a fire once it started and to establish new firefighting tactics.
Twenty-five people in total participated on the day of the test, practicing the use of existing fire hose nozzles used on car carriers and a new fire hose nozzle with better spray performance to spray water on and put out the fire. With the cooperation of the Maritime Disaster Prevention Center, the participants also watched a demonstration of the use of a specially shaped nozzle which is capable of spraying to extinguish a fire inside a vehicle.
This was the first time that “K” LINE set a car alight during a fire extinguishing test. It was a valuable opportunity for the participants to see how fast a vehicle can catch fire and to experience effective firefighting tactics used on a burning car. We will also consider conducting verification tests aimed at enhancing fire response capabilities for a diverse range of vehicle types, including electric vehicles.
As the risks of fires in car carriers have been drawing attention in recent years, “K” LINE will continue to work to enhance its fire safety measures and continue to be committed to protecting the valuable cargo of its customers.
