DEME Bonny River – IMO Safety signage and low location lighting

In 2019, the trailing suction hopper dredger ‘Bonny River’ was added to DEME’s fleet. A new generation of trailing suction hopper dredgers with a capacity of no less than 15,000 m³. Blomsma Signs & Safety was commissioned to provide this vessel with safety signage, low location lighting and ‘multiple signs‘ (composite signs with safety symbols).

Project-based approach and legislation and regulations

More than just sticking up a collection of signs, a safety signage project is primarily a matter of thorough knowledge of standards and laws and a tight design and layout. Blomsma’s assignment included a broad scope, whereby the signage not only had to be produced but also delivered and installed, so that the ship was delivered completely ‘compliant’ in terms of safety signage.

A challenge that we, with our knowledge and experience, took up in a focused and effective manner. In addition to the requirements for the quality and durability of the signage, there is a set of standards and laws that this signaling must comply with. In the case of the Bonny River, quite a list:

• International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974.
• IMO A.1116(30) Escape route signs and equipment location markings
• IMO A.752(18) Low Location Lighting on passenger ships
• ISO-7010 Graphical symbols – Safety signs and safety markings
• ISO-3864 (part 1, 2 and 3) Graphical symbols – Safety related colors and signs
• ISO-15370 Low Location Lighting on passenger ships
• ISO-23601 Escape and evacuation signs
• ISO-24409 Ships and marine technology – Design, location and use of safety signs on ships
• ISO-17398 Safety colours and safety signs – classification, performance and durability

Our project engineer started this project with an inventory and based on that made a signage plan for the safety and multiple signs. The scope of the project included all indoor areas of the accommodation and engine rooms and all outdoor decks. We installed the following safety signage based on the signage plan:

• Escape route signage
• Low location lighting
• Cabin Safety Instructions
• Fire-fighting and life-saving equipment signage
• Lifejacket and immersion suit markings
• Other IMO related signage
• signage of fire dampers
• signage of escape hatches and door handles

The outdoor signs are made of a 3M™ Scotchcal™ reflective vinyl on various base materials according to the strict 3M™ specifications, for indoors we used our SafeSign after-lighting signs and low location lighting in class C. All this was installed within the specified time frame by a team of Blomsma 3M™ certified technicians.

About the DEME Bonny River

The DEME Bonny River is capable of dredging in very hard soils and working at depths of more than 100 meters. The versatile trailing suction hopper dredger was built by IHC’s partner yard COSCO Guangdong Shipyard in China. The Bonny River has a closed recirculation system. This minimizes the turbidity of the seawater generated by the overflow water during dredging, which is especially important in ecologically sensitive areas. The vessel has a “Green Passport” and a “Clean Design” listing.

Read more about the DEME Bonny River here: https://www.deme-group.com/technologies/bonny-river