Consilium proves the value of Evolution

This year Salwico, the brand name for Consilium Marine’s products, celebrates its 50th anniversary, and the company’s new Evolution range of fire detectors maintains its long tradition of innovation in the marine fire safety field. The enhanced design - including OmniView 360deg LED indicators - and more robust construction are intended to make the detectors easier to use and maintain, and also to significantly reduce false alarms caused by dust, steam or spray.

Up to 254 detectors can be connected on one loop, which can be up to 3,000m long, reducing cost and enhancing flexibility. Consilium also points out that the Evolution detectors, like all Salwico systems, can be connected with unscreened loop cables, and are also compatible with existing systems.

Since their introduction, the Evolution detectors have proved popular with shipyards and operators alike. The new detectors are, for example, currently being installed on the cruise ship being built for Norwegian Cruise Line at STX in France and at Nordic Shipyards (the former Wadan Yards) in Germany, which is constructing two large ropax ferries for Stena Line. Other notable references for Evolution include Cunard’s new Queen Elizabeth, Costa’s Costa Deliziosa and Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam.

Consilium has also been working hard to develop systems that will meet new Solas rules that enter into force in July 2010 for passenger ship newbuildings. The new rules mean that the fire detection system will have to remain operational even after damage is suffered in one part of a main vertical fire zone.

Consilium’s R&D team has spent a lot of time and effort finding ways that its fire detection system could fulfil this requirement. A solution has been found, the company reports, by using counter communication loops, adding an extra small central panel which is placed in a classified area. Consequently, if the main central panel in one main vertical fire zone is out of order, due to a casualty, then the other panel will take over command functions automatically, and vice versa.

Consilium claims to be the first company to have a solution to the new Solas rules officially approved. Moreover, the company has secured an important new order for a fire detection system with this function from STX in Rauma, Finland, which will install the new Salwico system on the two ropax ships it is building for P&O Ferries. PST