Safetrawl

Safetrawl is a project to create a device to reduce the risk of capsizing of beam trawlers. The system continuously monitors the vessel’s stability and provides visual and audible warnings once a predetermined threshold has been exceeded.

Why

Some beam trawlers under 24m have only 10% of the righting moments of larger ships under some conditions. 1.4% of the Belgian fleet have been involved in a serious accident and on average there are 0.6 capsizes a year. The stability of fishing vessels is considerably decreased by asymmetric scenarios caused by the loading and movement of the beams. Capsizing scenarios develop quickly, therefore it’s important to continuously monitor stability and be able to respond to hazardous situations as quickly as possible.

How

Together with faculteit productontwikkeling van de Universiteit Antwerpen and with help from PREVIS we have developed a device which alarms on the bridge once the decrease in stability has exceeded a predetermined threshold. This threshold is specific for each boat and is calculated using a calculator developed by Antwerp Maritime Academy.