Fire Hazard Inspection

Challenge

Current methods for preventing ship fires, including the use of extinguishers and strict no-smoking policies, coupled with regular visual inspections, have limitations, particularly in detecting container fires. Crews must patrol and check for smoke every 30 minutes across all ship areas, but this approach is not always effective, leading to valuable time wasted in identifying the fire's origin. Shockingly, statistics reveal that a ship fire occurs every 60 days on average, with a concerning increase to every 30 days in recent times. Notable incidents like those involving Grande America, Yantian Express, APL Vancouver, ER Kobe, and KMTC Hong Kong in 2019 underscore the urgency of addressing this issue. The repercussions of ship fires are significant, resulting in substantial repair bills, ship downtime, and an average loss of €20 million annually or a staggering €120 million to the shipping industry. Fire incidents represent 13% of shipping losses, the second most significant cause after machine breakdowns. Moreover, insurance costs further compound the problem, amounting to a total of €450 million annually, culminating in a €570 million per year challenge for the industry.

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Solution

In response to the pressing need for enhanced ship fire prevention measures, Upteko has developed a cutting-edge solution incorporating beacons for drone positioning during situational awareness and docking. By strategically placing these beacons, with larger ships requiring more beacons and smaller ships only needing one, the drone can precisely position itself over the designated beacon and utilize a thermal sensor to generate a heat map of the ship. In the event of abnormal heat signatures, the system triggers an alarm to the bridge, alerting the crew to areas exhibiting higher temperatures than usual. This real-time visualization on the live heatmap enables the pinpointing of heat anomalies, facilitating targeted inspections in the correct area. By leveraging this innovative technology, ship operators can proactively identify and address potential fire hazards, thereby enhancing the safety and security of both crew and cargo while mitigating the financial impact of ship fires on the industry.

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In Conclusion

Upteko's innovative solution offers a proactive approach to ship fire prevention, addressing the limitations of current methods. By providing real-time alerts and precise heat mapping capabilities, it enhances safety protocols and minimizes the financial impact of ship fires on the industry.