Case Study: Early Fire Detection on Container Ships with AP Sensing’s FO-LHD Technology

A Case Study from the Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative (CFLII)

 

Tackling Cargo Fires at Sea

Fires on container ships are becoming more frequent and severe. Endangering lives, cargo, the environment and the global supply chain. Yet fire detection systems onboard have barely evolved, often responding too late to prevent escalation.

The Cargo Fire and Loss Innovation Initiative (CFLII), led by Safetytech Accelerator, brings together major maritime stakeholders to accelerate the development and deployment of faster, more effective fire detection technologies. The goal: exceed existing safety standards and set a new benchmark for safety and environmental responsibility across shipping.

Anchor Partners include Evergreen, ONE, Seaspan, Maersk, Offenship, UK P&I, TT Club, CMES, MSC, and Lloyd’s Register.

 

The Challenge

Through engagement with Anchor Partners, CFLII identified a shared priority: the urgent need for more reliable, early-stage fire detection aboard container vessels. Fires in container bays pose serious risks to human life and commercial assets—but existing systems often struggle to precisely detect heat sources or operate effectively in harsh maritime conditions.

Fibre optic Linear Heat Detection (FO-LHD) emerged as a high-potential solution.
AP Sensing, a global leader in optical measurement technologies from Germany, had already developed a FO-LHD system, installed it in many and various project onshore and saw an opportunity to adapt it for maritime use.

 

The Solution

AP Sensing’s FO-LHD system uses a rugged fibre optic sensor cable to continuously monitor temperature changes along its length. The system is able to provide real temperature values and the exact location along the complete length of the sensor cable. Certified to international fire safety standards (EN 54-22, UL 521 and FM3010/3210), the system is now undergoing DNV approval for use at sea.

As part of a CFLII-led pilot, the system was installed aboard a large container ship. Sensor cables were placed above walkways in the container bays, enabling the detection of radiative and convective heat from within containers. The system can trigger pre-alarms or full fire alerts based on pre-defined and individually adapted thresholds.

Designed to withstand humidity, salt, and vibration, the sensors can be connected to the (existing) fire protection system on board and feed into SmartVision™ software for real-time visualisation of heat trends—enhancing crew situational awareness and enabling faster emergency response. The system offers scalability without complexity-up to 16km per channel on up to 4 channels on one FO-LHD controller.

 

Testing and Collaboration

Safetytech Accelerator led both the feasibility study and pilot programme, ensuring alignment across stakeholders. The pilot was run in collaboration with AP Sensing and one of the world’s largest shipping companies, a CFLII Anchor Partner.

While installed on a vessel operating between Northern Europe and Southeast Asia, the system’s performance was validated under real-world maritime conditions. In parallel, an accredited European institute conducted controlled fire tests using specially designed test containers.

“Working with CFLII gave us a unique opportunity to validate our technology in a high-stakes operational environment. The collaborative approach helped ensure the system was tested rigorously and with real-world complexity.”
— Daniel Gerwig, Global Sales Manager, AP Sensing

 

Outcomes

Over a six-month period, the FO-LHD system was tested on voyages between Northern Europe and Southeast Asia. The technology successfully tracked temperature changes and provided critical data for fine-tuning alarm thresholds specific to the container bay environment.

“This pilot demonstrates the real-world impact that cross-industry collaboration can have in addressing persistent safety challenges at sea. Validating fibre optic heat detection in live operational conditions is a meaningful step toward broader adoption of smarter, safer, and more sustainable technologies across the maritime sector.”
—Seb Corby, CFLII Programme Director, Safetytech Accelerator

 

Industry Impact

CFLII is designed to drive meaningful change. By uniting major maritime players and promoting transparent knowledge-sharing, it accelerates both learning and adoption.

AP Sensing’s successful pilot marks a major step forward in container fire safety. Its FO-LHD system has the potential to transform early abnormal temperature increases and fire detection not only for container vessels, but also for Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo ships—improving crew safety, protecting cargo, and reducing environmental risks.

This work supports CFLII’s broader mission: to accelerate innovation across the shipping industry and set new standards for cargo fire prevention and response.

 

END  

About CFLII

The Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative (CFLII), launched in February 2023 by Safetytech Accelerator, unites industry leaders, technology innovators, and maritime stakeholders to advance technologies that prevent and mitigate large-scale cargo fire, loss, and damage at sea. With a focus on enhancing shipping’s reputation as a safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible link in the global supply chain, CFLII includes leading shipping companies, representing around 50% of the global container capacity, and maritime insurers as its Anchor Partners.

CFLII Full list of Anchor Partners: Evergreen, Lloyds Register, Maersk, Ocean Network Express, Offen Group, Seaspan Corporation, TT-Club and UKP&I.

 

About Safetytech Accelerator

Safetytech Accelerator, established by Lloyd’s Register, is the first fully dedicated technology accelerator focused on advancing innovation in safety critical industries. Our mission is to make the world safer, more resilient, and more sustainable through the wider adoption of technology.

 

About AP Sensing
With over 35 years of expertise in fibre optic sensing, AP Sensing delivers high-quality solutions for Distributed Temperature, Acoustic, and Vibration Sensing. Building on its HP/Agilent heritage, the company prides itself on innovation, customer focus, and a global network of experts committed to solving critical challenges.