As the senior engineer onboard a vessel, how would you instruct a new engineer to use the firefighting apparatus illustrated to fight an oil fire at the bunker station? Illustration SF-0020

Correct Answer: Option B — Direct aqueous film forming foam off the overhead or nearby bulkhead, using a bank down or bounce off method to extinguish the fire.

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) is designed to float on fuel surfaces, creating a vapor-sealing blanket. When fighting a pressurized or spill fire, banking the foam off a bulkhead or deck prevents the stream from breaking the fuel surface, which would otherwise cause splashing and potentially spread the fire.