What is an International Shore Connection?
An International Shore Connection is a universal hose connection that all ships must have installed as per IMO SOLAS requirements.
The purpose of an International Shore Connection is to keep a spare hose for communication with shore or other vessels to extinguish a fire on board in the event of a complete failure of the ship’s pump.
When using an International Shore Connection, seawater is supplied at a predetermined pressure and connected to the ship’s main firefighting pipe.
This International Shore Connection flange is usually kept in a convenient, easily accessible location on board (in the navigation bridge or fire room) so that it is always available and easily accessible in an emergency.
The SOLAS requirement for International Shore Calls, as per Chapter II-2, Regulation 10.2.1.7 states: Vessels of 500 gross tonnage and above shall provide at least one International Shore Call.
International Shore Connection flanges are of standard sizes for all countries and ships, ensuring that firefighting services are available from any port in the event of an emergency outside the home port.
The Dimensions of International Shore Coupling are:
| Description | Dimension |
| Outside Diameter (OD) | 178mm |
| Inside Diameter (ID) | 64mm |
| Bolt Circle Diameter (PCD) | 132mm |
| Slots in Flange | 4 holes 19mm in diameter spaced equidistantly on a bolt circle of above diameter, slotted to flange periphery. |
| Flange Thickness | 14.5mm minimum |
| Bolts & Nuts | 4, each of 16mm diameter, 50mm in length |
Basic requirements for international grounding
All ships, piers and offshore platforms where an emergency fire water supply may be required or provided must have at least one international connection to the fire shore.
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The connection shall be made of steel or other suitable material and designed for a service load of 1.0 N/mm². The flange must have a flat surface on one side and the other side must be permanently connected or fixed to a fitting that can be easily connected to the container hose connection.
International Land Coupling (ISC)
The connection must be fixed to the panel using a gasket made of material with a pressure resistance value of 1.0 N/mm², four screws of lengths 16 mm and 50 mm and eight washers so that the connection can be easily used in an emergency.
If the ISC is connected to the ship’s main fire main, there must be an earth connection on both sides of the ship and it must be clearly marked.
Notices in English and the local language of the flag state should be posted near the ship’s main fire main and near the accommodation spaces, indicating the connection location and maximum working pressure of the pipe system, which should be recognized and provided by the port.
Water supplied to the damaged ship by the port or other ships must not exceed a flow velocity of 5 m/s in the fire water distribution network.
Fittings and seals must be suitable for a working pressure of at least 10.5 bar.
Points to consider about ISC:
International grounding flanges should be included in the preventive maintenance (PM) program rather than the vessel condition monitoring (CM) program.
Ensure that joints are always equipped with international grounding flanges.
It is recommended to prepare multiple gaskets and keep them in the internal control center as there is a risk of damage during emergency work.
When preparing the fire drill task list, assign a person to bring the international grounding wire to the exposed roof area and remove it from there. Keeping this habit in training will inevitably reduce the response time in a real emergency.
If an international shore connection is permanently installed on the vessel’s main fire hose, always check its tightness before connecting it with water.
