Evacuation Systems and Operation

Since 1970 MARINTEK has been involved in the development of life-saving systems and the documentation of survival craft performance via model and full-scale testing. In co-operation with Norwegian industry, MARINTEK deve-loped the first free-fall lifeboats to be approved for ships and offshore platforms.

In the EUREKA-Safenvship R&D project MARINTEK has developed a large model concept and test procedures which provide an efficient platform for realistic testing of conventional and novel survival craft systems in heavy seas and high winds. MARINTEK has the experience, laboratory facilities and numerical tools needed to support the design, development and performance documentation of conventional and novel ship and offshore survival craft systems.

Unique test platform and capabilities for survival craft development work.

Documentation of Lifeboat Launch and Escape Performance

MARINTEK performs lifeboat launch and escape studies as part of the EUREKA Safenvship 2003 research programme.
The overall objective of the EUREKA Safenvship programme is to provide engineering, operator, owner and authority knowledge and support for improved efficiency and safety when passengers and crew are being evacuated from large passenger ships.
 
Specifically, better knowledge of the performance of ship evacuation systems in heavy sea and wind conditions is needed in order to provide:

• ships’ masters and crew with the best knowledge to enable them to assess and manage the abandon ship situation and to operate survival craft systems
• designers and manufactures with the information and tools that will enable them to improve existing systems and develop novel survival craft concepts
• maritime authorities with relevant knowhow for the improvement of  rules and regulations and to enable them to assess and approve novel systems

Large Model Test Platform and Test Procedures

The capacity of the MARINTEK Ocean Basin enables large models to be employed to study complex and critical marine operations. The Ocean Basin has a nominal working area of 80 m x 50 m, with a variable working depth of up to 10 m.

• 12 m passenger ship model in free or restrained drift
• Wave and wind capacity up to SS8 (HS = 10 m) for a 1:25 scale model
• Launch of lifeboats from both sides of the ship with measurements of ship motions and relative wave motions, lifeboat pendulum motions and impact accelerations
• Escape from ship-side with propelled lifeboat model
• Lifeboat in free drift with measurement of motions and accelerations. 

Development of Novel Escape Systems

In general, tools need to be developed whereby the rough-weather performance of novel evacuation systems can be documented in a cost-effective process without putting people at risk in trials.

The large ship-model concept and test procedures developed by MARINTEK have proved to be an effective platform for the realistic testing of conventional and novel survival craft systems. Norwegian industry has confirmed its interest in utilizing this platform for the further development of novel survival craft concepts.

Data from the EUREKA Safenvship project will be incorporated in design methods and software in due course.

The project is being sponsored by the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association.

The main participants in the Eureka project are the shipowners Carneval and Grimbaldi, RINA, with Fincantieri as the lead company.

Contact at MARINTEK: Per Werenskiold

(Article in MARINTEK Review 2-2003)