Directional Sound Evacuation from Ships

Directional Sound Evacuation - Ships

Evacuation tragedies such as the Scandinavian Star incident in 1990 resulted in the adoption of Low Location Lighting (LLL) as an aid to evacuation from smoke filled corridors and stairs on passenger ships. The recent fire aboard cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam raised doubts about the effectiveness of LLL - a passenger became disoriented in smoke outside his cabin and failed to find an exit despite electro-luminescent LLL being in operation.

Open areas are an increasingly popular feature of modern passenger vessels, typically comprising 40% or more of the passenger space. There are no evacuation aids within the SOLAS regulations to assist passenger escape from these open spaces in smoke. At the recent IMO Fire Prevention sub-committee in Feb '03, it was agreed that means of escape from Open Spaces do now need to be considered - a study group has been set up to recommend changes to the SOLAS regulations.

Following recent independent marine trials supervised by Strathclyde University and the British Government's Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) aboard Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in Scotland and Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Conquest in Italy, the Maritime Administrations of the UK and German Governments proposed Directional Sound Evacuation technology to the United Nations' International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as an innovative technology for passenger safety on cruise ships and ferries. The IMO gave an encouraging reception to the proposals and a draft ISO standard is now under review by a specialist committee. Full details are available on the MCA’s web site: www.dse-web.fsnet.co.uk

Used instead of LLL, substantial savings can be made by ship builders and owners whilst passenger safety is improved. Under recent changes to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, DSE systems can now be proposed as an alternative to LLL for new ships using regulation 2-II-17 (alternative design and arrangements).

Used in addition to LLL, a comprehensive evacuation guidance solution is possible - also catering for the needs of the visually and hearing impaired - assisting owners discharge their obligations under both American and European Disability Discrimination legislation.

More details:

RINA & Lloyds Register award for Safer Ships presented to Sound Alert

- RINA ship safety conf paper 26/03/03 (pdf 300k) includes outline of design, installation and operational considerations
- Directional Sound Evacuation - an improved way guidance system - paper to Lloyds List Fire on Ships conference 13/3/03
- Lloyds Conference presentation notes (pdf format 307k)