BELFOR Restores Fire and Water-Damaged Electrical Systems Aboard a Large Cruise Ship in Singapore
ABOUT THE VESSEL
The vessel is a large cruise ship measuring over 150 meters in length, with a gross tonnage of more than 22,000 tons and capacity for over 1,000 guests. Built more than 40 years ago and originally operated as a passenger ferry in Europe, the ship underwent an extensive refit and conversion at a Singapore shipyard before being relaunched as a cruise vessel.
THE CHALLENGE
A fire broke out on one of the upper decks. The crew used seawater to bring the fire under control and cool an adjacent plant room to prevent it from spreading between decks. The firefighting water migrated several decks below through openings, service penetrations, and the lift trunk, reaching the engine control room. The vessel was subsequently moved to a shipyard for repair and restoration.
The fire generated soot and chloride contamination from burned PVC cabling, compounding the chlorides already present from the seawater. Left untreated, this posed a serious risk of progressive corrosion to electrical and electronic components, along with mold growth on carpeting in a public lounge, threatening both system reliability and personnel safety.
Compounding the challenge, several affected components belonged to legacy systems no longer in production, with replacement parts unavailable. Precision cleaning and recovery, rather than replacement, was therefore essential.
THE RESPONSE
The client engaged BELFOR to inspect the affected equipment, recommend stabilization and recovery measures, and document its findings. BELFOR’s team inspected from the upper decks down to the engine control room, assessing soot contamination, chloride exposure, and water ingress.
Working aboard an active shipyard vessel required careful planning:
- BELFOR’s project manager coordinated with the client through a vessel safety coordination meeting to align on access routes, safety protocols, and work sequencing.
- Given the difficulty of moving tools and parts in and out of the ship, all equipment was meticulously planned and prepared in advance to minimize trips.
- Waste was carried off the vessel and disposed of at BELFOR’s own workshop, avoiding contamination of the shipyard or ocean.
- Given the unavailability of legacy parts, BELFOR prioritized precision cleaning over replacement.
The structured decontamination program included:
- Dismantling and precision cleaning of key electrical distribution panels, including elevator control panels, a restaurant/cafeteria panel, an air-conditioning plant panel, and a pantry lighting and distribution panel.
- Aqueous, multi-step cleaning using alkaline agents to neutralize acidic soot and chloride residues, followed by deionized water rinsing.
- Off-site cleaning of dismantled modules at BELFOR’s workshop, including further disassembly, cleaning, rinsing, and drying under controlled conditions.
- Controlled drying at 50–55°C to remove moisture and prevent secondary corrosion.
- Reassembly of all panels and modules to original configuration.
THE RESULTS
BELFOR successfully decontaminated all affected categories of electrical equipment, addressing contamination before it could develop into costly progressive corrosion. The precision cleaning approach preserved equipment that would otherwise have been irreplaceable due to the vessel’s age.
The client formally confirmed the services as complete and satisfactory. By protecting critical electrical systems and planning around the constraints of an active vessel, BELFOR supported the client’s broader restoration program.
CONCLUSION
When fire and firefighting water threatened critical electrical systems aboard a decades-old cruise vessel, BELFOR responded with a structured inspection and precision decontamination program. Careful advance planning around access, tooling, and waste handling, combined with a precision-first approach for irreplaceable legacy equipment, safeguarded the client’s restoration timeline and reinforced BELFOR’s role as a trusted partner for marine fire and water damage recovery.
