Marine Fire Testing Services

At Element, we provide comprehensive marine fire testing to ensure your products meet IMO, SOLAS, and regional regulations. Our global network of labs assess flammability, fire resistance, smoke toxicity, and fire spread to ensure compliance with Wheelmark, USCG, and Transport Canada standards. We help you accelerate time to market while ensuring fire safety at sea.

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What is Marine Fire Testing at Element?

Marine fire testing evaluates materials, components, and systems used on ships to ensure they meet fire safety standards set by regulatory bodies like IMO, SOLAS, and local authorities such as USCG and Transport Canada. At Element, we provide comprehensive marine fire testing services, including flammability, fire resistance, smoke toxicity, and fire propagation assessments, to ensure your products meet international marine safety regulations. Our global labs offer critical testing to certify that your materials are safe and compliant for use in the marine industry, wherever you are.

Two Element testing experts in laboratory safety equipment ready for testing

What Can Element Offer You for Marine Fire Testing?

Key Tests Offered

Element's experts provide a variety of tests for marine materials, from locations around the globe including:

Flammability Testing (horizontal and vertical burn tests)
Needle Flame Testing and Brush Fire Testing
Fire Propagation Risk and Spread Testing
Smoke Density and Toxic Gas Generation Testing
Fire Resistance Testing for insulation, components, and coatings
Comparative Burning Characteristics for plastics

Components and Materials We Test

Element offers testing for a wide range of marine materials and components, including:

Ship construction materials such as panels, flooring, and finishes
Interior materials including upholstery, automotive-like components, and furnishings
Electrical components such as wiring and systems
Plastics and coatings used in ship construction

Which Labs Offer This Service

Element offers marine fire testing at our accredited specialist fire testing laboratories across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Europe, and the UK. Our global network provides comprehensive services, including fire propagation, flammability, fire resistance, smoke toxicity, and coatings testing to ensure compliance with marine safety regulations.

Our Warrington UK location is home to our group brand, Warringtonfire - a global leader in marine fire testing. Offering a wide range of marine fire testing services, including flammability, smoke toxicity, and fire resistance tests, Warringtonfire provides certification, advisory, and testing services for fire protection products used on ships. Their expertise extends to test method development and a variety of accredited fire tests, such as non-combustibility, surface flammability, and thermal radiation tests.

Standards we test to and products we test

These are our most prevalent requests. Don't see what you're looking for? Contact us!

IMO

SOLAS

Wheelmark

US Coast Guard standards

Your Challenges, Our Solutions

Replicating Real-World Fire Conditions

Many materials fail to perform as expected in actual fire scenarios. Element’s marine fire testing replicates real-world fire conditions, including flame spread, heat exposure, and smoke production, ensuring materials behave safely and predictably when exposed to onboard fire hazards.

Testing A Wide Range Of Materials

Testing services may not cover all ship materials. Element provides extensive fire testing for textiles, plastics, coatings, and finishes, ensuring comprehensive coverage for every component in marine applications from structural elements to furnishings.

Access To Cross-Border Testing

Shipping products for testing across borders can be costly and time-consuming. Element’s network of labs worldwide guarantees you access to high-quality fire testing services, reducing logistics costs and turnaround times while ensuring compliance across international markets.

Tailored Testing for Unique Needs

Generic fire tests may not address the unique needs of specific materials. Element offers specialized fire testing for various materials, including upholstery, insulation, coatings, and electrical components, ensuring all comply with fire safety standards for full protection and safety.

Why Choose Element

Element testing specialist standing among environmental test chambers in product testing lab

Wide Range of Fire Tests

Element provides comprehensive marine fire testing for essential materials and components, assessing flame spread, smoke density, and fire resistance.

Tailored, Real-World Testing

Element’s tests replicate real-world fire conditions, ensuring your materials behave predictably and safely under onboard fire hazards.

Global Network of Labs

Access top-tier fire testing services worldwide, reducing logistics costs and ensuring quicker turnaround times across international markets.

Expertise in Marine Safety

Element are industry experts, ensuring your products are tested to the highest safety standards and meet global marine regulations.

Frequently asked questions

How does Element measure smoke production and combustibility?

Element’s cone calorimeter testing measures visible smoke release and combustibility using the oxygen consumption method, providing critical data on how materials behave during a fire. This is crucial for applications where smoke toxicity and combustibility are significant safety concerns.