Page 60: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2017)

R&D Investment safety systems. What about service life

What reaction from the sealing indus-

The new building and durability? A disaster strikes unan- try, its end-user sectors, relevant gov- nounced. Sealing Valley will contribute ernment departments, NGOs, other to a better awareness of safety in the in- bodies or even the general public have dustry, from developer to surveyor. To you had to the idea so far?

cover this chain, we will be working on We have found that everywhere we creating a new mindset towards sealing tell our story there is agreement with technology. This is also why we consider what we have to say. We have seen many the younger generation of engineers to be people applauding the idea that ? re safety of such importance. On the other hand, and water tightness should be lifted to a we will try to interest suppliers of raw higher level. However, strangely enough, materials in working with us to get the it proved to be dif? cult to mobilize sup- optimum safety out of products and sys-

The fire test porters to undertake action. But action is tems. And, as we already do on a regular a vital necessity to improve safety! This basis, we will be offering partnerships requires not only knowledge, which we with customers to ? ne-tune the process are willing to share, but also bundling of fitting on-board applications. This expertise with others. Sharing know-how also means that Sealing Valley will open and expertise from daily practice is nec- its doors to those who work on the practi- essary to secure the cooperation needed cal application of systems. What are the to ensure life safety. Changing processes best installation practices? How can an is not an overnight show. Apart from the installer make sure that his installation will to change, it might not be the right work is guaranteed for decades? Sealing time, nor might it ? t in with the daily Valley will allow us to invite installers business of people. In short, we would and other parties involved to our center like to achieve a fundamental minset so that they can experience and assess change to create awareness of what the the impact of their work.

consequences would be if we didn’t raise

Is there a range of speci? c goals with the safety bar. a timetable or is the emphasis more on

What precisely are the aims and objec- changing the ‘philosophy’ of the sector tives of the project? from a reactive approach, for example in response to natural or man-made disasters, to a more preventative one?

First of all, the transfer of know- how and expertise on how risky situa- tions could become safer. It’s aimed at We have always been a company every professional in the safety chain. with a proactive approach. This is be-

No doubt, test procedures and certi? cates cause we think that it’s all in the saying: must be a part of this chain. We want to better safe than sorry. And it is our ob- contribute to the optimization of the safe- jective to turn the sector from reactive ty chain and therefore we focus on young to proactive. Sealing Valley will be de- engineers, the ones that will shape our veloped in phases, with the ? rst phase ? re-safe future. We want to make sure planned for opening next year. As soon that there will be a generation that really as the doors of Sealing Valley open, we understands the importance of ? re-safe will start educating, training and inform-

The pressure test and watertight sealing systems. ing the market. There will be the latest IT Of course, we will also target regu- and telecom technologies so that we can lators and certi? cation organisations and train and exchange knowledge with those other parties that are involved in legisla- who aren’t able to visit Sealing Valley tion. Certi? cates are of vital importance live. Engineers who want to become a for our industry. But, since they are vi- certi? ed installer can visit Sealing Val- tal, they should also be clearly speci? ed ley for an of? cial installers’ training and and understandable for anyone working make sure systems are applied in the way in the ? eld. We have noticed many times they were planned. The last thing we that there is a signi? cant gap between want after developing products and sys- the certi? cation process and the ? nal tems to the highest standards is that these ? eld application. This has really caused are installed improperly. And apart from me to ask why we could not make it all the training and education facilities, we clearer, more uniform and more under- will carry out R&D into sealing technol- standable for the people at the end of the ogies right from the start of the Sealing chain, the ones that have to install these Valley project. Photos courtesy Beele Engineering

With Sealing Valley, Beele Engineering intends contribute to increased safety for crews and the protection of ships and offshore platforms.

Test and ? eld application: the discrepancy between these will certainly be one of the themes to be discussed in setting up Sealing Valley. 60 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • OCTOBER 2017

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