Intertek is an industry leader in fire resistance and material flammability testing for compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requirements. We are accepted and recognized by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) as an independent testing laboratory. In addition, our follow-up inspection services fulfill the USCG’s requirement for auditing by a competent authority of the manufacturer’s quality control system to ensure continuous compliance of the product with the type approval conditions.
The USCG is the Administration for the United States, a member state to the IMO, and is responsible for issuing domestic and international (IMO) Type Approvals and Case-by-Case Approvals for products intended for use in commercial vessels. Intertek can also help you meet your testing needs for obtaining Type Approval from other Administrations and Notified Bodies in order to expand your product recognition.
We have the expertise, accreditations and equipment to test to virtually all applicable industry requirements including:
Fire Testing: Intertek has the expertise and testing facilities to meet your fire testing needs. We can perform large-scale fire resistance tests, intermediate or small-scale material flammability tests, or custom-designed tests for research and development purposes. Intertek can help you meet your testing and certification objectives.
Fire Resistance Testing: Our fire resistance testing facilities include full-scale, intermediate-scale, and small-scale furnaces. We have the facilities you need to demonstrate compliance with the fire resistance requirements for the Marine Industry. Our complete testing facilities enable us to test products and assemblies including bulkheads, decks, linings, doors, windows, dampers, penetrations, and fiberglass reinforced gratings. We can conduct testing to a standard time-temperature curve or to a high-rise time-temperature curve for hydrocarbon fire classification. Intertek also has a jet-fire test facility for demonstrating resistance of passive fire protection to the impingement of a jet-fire.
Material Flammability Testing: Our material flammability testing facilities include a tube furnace for non-combustibility testing, Lateral Ignition and Flamespread Test (LIFT) apparatus for flammability testing, a smoke chamber and FTIR analyzer for smoke and toxicity testing, a cone calorimeter apparatus, a room-corner testing facility, upholstered furniture testing apparatus, and apparatus for testing of bedding components, an apparatus for testing of vertically supported textiles and films, and a Steiner tunnel for testing of flame spread and smoke development.
Custom Designed Testing: Intertek can provide custom-designed tests for research and development purposes. These may include full-scale, intermediate scale, or small scale tests. Intermediate and small-scale tests can be useful tools for research and development purposes. They can help in gaining a better understanding of how the product might perform in a full-scale test condition and can aide in developing a test plan for a product or assembly.
Products we test include:
| Bulkheads | Non-Combustible Panels |
| Decks | Floor Coverings and Primary Deck Coverings |
| Ceilings and Linings | Interior Finishes |
| Doors | Draperies, Curtains, and Other Vertically Supported Textiles |
| Windows | Upholstery for Furniture Bedding Components (mattresses, pillows, blankets, quilts, bedspreads, etc.) |
| Dampers | FRP Gratings |
| Cable, Pipe, and Duct Penetrations | FRP Cable Trays |
| Insulation Materials | Composite Pipes and Fittings Passive Fire Protection (Jet Fire Impingement) |
Contact us to see how Intertek can help your organization with Marine Products Testing.