HSC code for GRP professional boat

Hey,I need some help with the HSC code.

I am carrying out a project which consists on the aplication of High speed craft code in a project for a boat with that specs; -GRP construction / LOA 14m / Monohull / 44 passengers.

My questions are; Does anybody knows how to successfully overcome the fire safety requirements for a GRP hull? Which code of load lines or similar do I have to use acording to the code and length? Any GRP constructed boats with HSC code?
Thanks, any other information related with HSC code would be of interest!

 

On 14m it will be really difficult to fit all navigation and safety equipment required by HSC Code... On other side, HSC Code is applied to passenger craft making international voyages; for other craft there should be some simplifications.

Fire safety - look at FireMaster blanket.

 

The HSC Code in 7.2.1.1 for safety clearly says non-combustable.

This is your biggest hurdle. You'll have to look to see where the fire divisions of deck and BHDs are in the boat see what catagory it is and if required, must be non-combustable. If you can't, then you'll have to insulate with A30 or A60, as appropriate.

 

Fire divisions on such boat are likely to be only in the engine room (assuming there are no flammable cargo, etc.). Other than that, fire protections zones are not required for type A craft of this length.

For FPR, there are only few approved solutions for A60 class fire protection; FireMaster blanket is the one we use in engine rooms.

 

This is a HSC boat; as such there is also min A30 for the control stations. Also, this is a very small boat carrying a lot of passenegers 44!!...most divsions shall be next to each other. Depending upon how this is arranged the amount of SFP could be more than you realise.

But if the vessel is NOT on an international voyage, why use the HSC code?

 

No, for control stations (which are not auxiliary machinery spaces) A30 is not required, only smoke-tight division. On such boat there is only one control station - steering station, just make a door to comply with smoke-tight requirements.

We just did 18m/70pax cat to HSC Code, in composite. There are 2 fire protection zones and both are engine rooms.
http://albertnazarov.blog.ru/119876131.html

 

A control station is its own entity, it is catagory D.

Public spaces are defined a minor fire hazard, cat C.




I’ve been designing HSC boats since the code came into force in 1994 (& DSC Code before that). We have never gotten away with just a smoke tight division to the control station (wheelhouse).

You must have had a dispensation from the local Flag authority, for some reason or other.

 

Read note #10. There is no need to install A30 fire protection on type A craft if there is only one public space. Boat with 44pax is likely to be such.

 

Im well aware of the notes. That refers to "A0"..which is defined in SOLAS as Steel (7.2.3 of the HSC Code). An A0 barrier is steel. So unless your BHDs are made of steel, it has to be compliant.

 

Understood, non-combustible material, but not necessary steel.
So how they would treat if steering station is directly in saloon?

 

SOLAS says or "equivalent", with the criteria of what constitutes non-combustable.



I know of no composite that satisfies this. There are experimental ones, that may be do. But you also have to consider, even if they do not "ignite", the whole structure has lost its structural integrity, the heat will just make it bend badly!!...that is also not good

If the control station is in the d/h, as we have done before, it must be separated by a BHD, that satifies the code. Unless you make the whole D/K the control station.

 

On our smaller designs (30-40pax), steering station is directly in saloon, but they are not under code. On our 70pax, the steering station is in FPR panels plus smoke-tight door, but they treat it as adjacent to evacuation/escape area.

Also for HSC they require 2 generation sets (often interpreted as 2 generators) that makes it too extensive on 14m boat. Really TS needs to consider if he needs this compliance or not.

 

HSC-Fire test protecction

Thanks for all comments!

After posting my message, i found a really interesting website. It was about a fire protection project carried out on a GRP catamaran, designed under the HSC code.

http://firemaster.thermal-limitec.com/fire/iris-catamarans.html

 

"But if the vessel is NOT on an international voyage, why use the HSC code?"

The boat will not be working on an international voyages. However, the main objective of the company is to built the boats on Spain, and be able to sell them all around Europe or worldwide... The passenger craft code exclude the GRP construction, and that's why we have tried by the HSC code. Is there any other way -except using classification societies- for getting an interntional appreciation?

 

From what you have said, no. That is the best route, go for full HSC Code compliance.