One of the key benefits of using thermal imaging is the ability to predict possible fire hazards due to increases in temperature in controlled areas in a particular marine facility or system. This study proposes the possibility of applying new electronic and computer technology as part of a ship’s fire detection system, such as the use of computer vision, using existing marine CCTV systems and installing thermal imaging IR cameras on the same system. It also proposes communication between the CCTV system and the fire detection and central alarm system of a ship. In addition to visual analysis of certain areas on board the ship and the related facilities inside it, with the addition of certain software applications into the existing CCTV system, the system itself becomes a fire alarm system, with the potential to forecast and send early warnings to the ship’s central fire alarm system in real time, thereby contributing to improved safety with regards to various areas, equipment, the ship as a whole, cargo and human lives.

Although various methods of using new techniques and technologies in ship fire alarm systems have been developed to date, some of which have made significant improvements in the functioning of such systems, in practice there is still plenty of room for further research regarding the operational efficiency of ship fire alarm systems and its impact on crew, passenger and overall ship safety. The application of electronic and computer technologies enables the development of intelligent solutions to improve the efficiency of ship fire alarm systems. Besides the economic justification, this paper presents a comparative analysis of classical and modern approaches based on video detection and computer vision in the detection of early phase smoke as a precursor to fire incidents. The economic justification of the new approach is concerned with decreasing the costs incurred by the untimely detection of the early stages of fire in ship engine rooms.

Today, every industry is striving for the highest efficiency and best economic results possible, with the greatest possible competitiveness. But in maritime affairs, human safety and environmental protection are the foundations of sustainability. To achieve this, marine systems must be reliable, high quality and easy to maintain. Because of this, reliability has become an important factor in safety, which remains relevant throughout the lifetimes of ship systems, including fire alarm systems. In this paper we address a number of issues connected with the reliability – and ‘availability’ of these systems. Firstly, ship fire alarm systems consist of various components whose individual reliability affect the system’s overall reliability. Discussions of reliability in ship fire alarm systems normally focus on the length of a system’s useful life or performance during design-based fire events. In addition to the reliability of systems, their availability for use is also crucial given the possibility that the system may need to operate at any point in time.