System for evacuation of personnel from a capsized vessel

Abstract

A system for evacuation of personnel from a capsized vessel via a watertight and airtight sluice comprising an inner and an outer escape hatch. The inner escape hatch leads from inside the vessel to an evacuation room, and the room is provided with an outer escape hatch. The outer escape hatch leads out through the bottom hull of the vessel, and each escape hatch, is fitted with a mechanism comprising a sensor, a control center, locking means and a communication interface between the mechanisms. Wherein the sensors read if one of the escape hatches is open or locked, if the sensor reads that an escape hatch is open, it sends a message to its control center, the control center sends this message to the control center on the opposing hatch, the control center on the opposing hatch uses its locking means to make sure the escape hatch cannot be opened.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention regards a device and a procedure for the evacuation of a vessel, and especially the evacuation of a capsized vessel and where the remaining escape routes for various reasons cannot be used.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]When a vessel capsizes the problem arises that the people on board cannot take advantage of the common emergency exits in a ship. This is because they are either under water or are difficult to use due to the fact that they are upside down. In addition, there arises a problem that people who are in the bottom of the vessel, such as the engine room, must find his way out of the vessel when it is upside down and out through escape routes that might be filled with water.[0003]Furthermore, it is important that the watertight bulkheads are closed as quickly as possible to prevent the vessel filling up with water in order to prevent it from sinking. It is thus a danger in the event of a capsize that people are trapped inside the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention solves the problem of providing emergency exits in the bottom of a vessel by implementing evacuation rooms and in case of capsize, making the exits easy to open from the inside of the vessel. A shaft or the like is used to connect the control room to the first escape hatch in the bottom of the boat. The first escape hatch is opened to allow everyone to climb into the evacuation room, and then closed before the second escape hatch is opened. A rope ladder or inflatable lifeboats are used to make the descent into the water easier, and the evacuation process is facilitated.

Problems solved by technology

When a vessel capsizes the problem arises that the people on board cannot take advantage of the common emergency exits in a ship.

This is because they are either under water or are difficult to use due to the fact that they are upside down.

In addition, there arises a problem that people who are in the bottom of the vessel, such as the engine room, must find his way out of the vessel when it is upside down and out through escape routes that might be filled with water.

It is thus a danger in the event of a capsize that people are trapped inside the boat, and must be cut out.

There is at the present time no effective solution for evacuation of a capsized vessel and in the report “Risk Estimates for domestic ferry traffic 2008”, conducted by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and the National Association for Shipping Companies, it is concluded that the “capsize is an accident type with low probability but potentially major consequences.”

After having run aground on an unmarked nine meter shallow MS “Rocknes” got stability problems and started tilting towards starboard.

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