Electrical Safety for Ships

What do you do if a ship loses power? Generally, ships have ungrounded power systems. Their generators, distribution, propulsion, and control and automation systems are monitored in real-time, either online or offline, to forewarn potential insulation degradation. Sophisticated monitoring technologies from Bender are designed to withstand harsh marine conditions. They are used globally on vessels ranging from submarines to cruise liners, protecting against the dangerous consequences of electrical failure. Ground faults on ships can be detrimental if not resolved quickly. Thankfully, any electrical system can be monitored with devices that can also communicate system status. Detecting faults before a system fails enables planned and predictive maintenance instead of emergency action in what can be life-threatening situations, and Bender offers electrical safety solutions for this reason.

For port operators and shipbuilders, setting up an onshore power supply represents a considerable undertaking. Transformer stations and cables to the quay need to be set up on land. These are mostly brought on-board via booms and connected to one or more points. Not only the tides, but also the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code must be taken into consideration. It is important that the monitoring equipment on board the ship and on shore are synchronized as otherwise there can be problems with fault detection. Bender products can be set up so that there are not two measuring systems in a single power circuit.

Accommodation and cabins on ships can be exposed to problems with the electrical system within seconds which can only be found manually with a great deal of time and experience. This involves the risk of electric shock and machine downtime. With a multi-channel residual current system (ground-fault monitoring), an emerging problem can be detected, reported and repaired quickly.

The galleys on ships are prone to electrical faults that can only be detected manually with plenty of experience and time. Especially the grills and steamers often cause problems. In all these applications, people can be injured or killed. With a multi-channel residual current system (ground-fault monitoring), an emerging problem can be detected much earlier than with a conventional GFCI system and repaired before it becomes critical. Another advantage: The whole galley does not have to be shut down if one device is faulty.

On all ships, it is important that they remain fully controllable in all situations and, for example, the radar, sonar and weapons systems are operational at all times. Ground-fault monitoring devices from Bender can easily handle what are sometimes very high-frequency currents and guarantee continuous operation in every situation. Any electrical faults in parts of the whole system are quickly detected and reported and can then be repaired or replaced within a short amount of time.

In terms of equipment, sanitary areas onboard ships are similar to those in small hospitals with their own operating rooms. These are very similar to those in land-based hospitals or small treatment centers. Bender is a capable partner in this area and provides code-compliant solutions and expertise.