METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE SAFETY OF SHIPS

摘要

A gas expulsion apparatus suitable for installation into a vessel is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a device having a gaseous inlet (24) and a gaseous outlet (26), wherein the outlet is adapted to direct gas into a compartment (16) of a vessel (10). In a preferred embodiment exhaust gas from the vessel's engine is directed into an otherwise sealed compartment of a vessel in order to delay or reverse water ingress or to extinguish a fire. An advantage of certain embodiments of the invention is that they can stabilize stricken vessels. Moreover for certain embodiments of the invention where the vessel's engine is used to direct the gas, additional heavy and bulky equipment, which may be difficult to house on a vessel, is kept to a minimum.