🔍 Key Concepts

• Cargo tank inerting requirements on tank vessels in 46 CFR (inspect the sections on inert gas systems) • The difference between fire prevention inside cargo tanks vs. firefighting on deck or in machinery spaces • Which systems are designed to change the atmosphere inside a tank versus those that apply water or foam externally

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: which of these systems is specifically designed to control the oxygen content or atmosphere inside cargo tanks, not just cool or smother an exterior fire? • Consider which system Coast Guard regulations associate with crude oil and product carriers to reduce the risk of tank explosions during loading, discharging, and tank washing. • Think through the primary purpose of a fire main, fixed water spray, and deck foam: do any of these normally operate inside closed cargo tanks as a continuous fire prevention method?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option is explicitly named in 46 CFR as providing an inert atmosphere in cargo tanks for explosion prevention. • Verify which systems are primarily firefighting (used when a fire already exists) versus fire prevention (used continuously during cargo operations). • Confirm that the correct system is capable of maintaining the tank atmosphere below the flammable range by reducing oxygen content.