SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) is the most important convention for maritime safety. This convention came into being after the disaster of the Titanic in 1912. The SOLAS regulations include several safety items in various chapters. Fire safety for ships is described in chapter II-2, which includes the requirements to build, maintain or renovate a ship to ensure it is fire-safe. Whether a ship meets the SOLAS regulations is checked by the flag state and now also by classification agencies. Therefore, it is of great importance to build a ship at least in accordance to these minimum requirements. Obviously, the owner/user may also set higher requirements than those described in the SOLAS regulations.
Because the SOLAS provisions were drawn up long ago, currently owners often set higher demands with regards to aspects such as fire safety on ships. Nowadays ships are getting bigger and have more crew and passengers on board and therefore it is more difficult to evacuate a ship in a short period. Pooters has fire resistant or even non-combustible products.
In order to be able to demonstrate whether constructions fulfil the requirements set in the SOLAS regulations, they should be tested according to the FTP code. The FTP describes exactly how a test must be conducted and what a test must comply with in order to properly assess a certified construction. If the outcome of the test is positive and the certificate is issued by an accredited body, the construction may be installed on ships and the certificate may be issued as proof of safe application.
Pooters uses certified materials and manufactures products to produce this kind of finished sheet material for you. In addition, Pooters also supplies the profiles to mount the constructions on walls and ceilings.
Ships are also subject to the total fire load requirements. In addition to fire-resistant constructions for walls, ceilings, hatches and the like, there are also products for other applications that are non-combustible or only contribute to the fire propagation to a limited extent. Materials that meet these requirements can, for example, be applied in the manufacture of furniture such as cabinets, tables and beds, to reduce the total fire load on a ship. Pooters offers various solutions to help reduce the fire load on a ship.
If you have any questions about the fire safety on board of a ship, you are invited to contact Pooters. We are happy to work with you to find the most efficient solutions.