Detector automatically releases safety gear on capsize
The company says that with current release systems, safety equipment is released when it reaches a depth of 1.5m to 4m. If a ship capsizes without sinking, there is therefore a risk that safety equipment may be trapped under the craft, or never released at all.
CM Hammar’s new system, known as LAD (list angle detection), is designed to automatically release liferafts and Epirbs at a specified degree of list which signifies a vessel is in danger of capsize. The released safety units reach the surface before the ship flips over, which the company claims significantly reduces the risk of it becoming trapped or entangled in deck gear or rigging.
The problem with safety equipment not being released or getting trapped under the vessel has a long history. It was spotlighted after the tragic capsize of the Norwegian AHTS vessel Bourbon Dolphin in 2007, when eight people lost their lives. IMO Norway proposes amendments to the current resolutions, and demands: ”a release mechanism that operates immediately when the satellite Epirb reaches the surface, instead of before reaching a depth of 4m in any orientation.”
The LAD consists of a control box with two activating outputs for Hammar H20 release units. The control box has an integrated inclination sensor designed to release automatically in case the vessel capsizes. The preset activation angle can be adjusted to suit different ships. The unit can be manually activated by means of a pushbutton. The second unit is activated automatically 2s after the first has been activated. The system has an integrated battery back-up.
“We are excited about this new technology and how it can contribute to saving lives of seamen in distress all over the world. Norway requests a solution in the future, but as we see it the future is already here, says Henrik Pålsson, managing director of CM Hammar.
