Safer Ships for Our Merchant Marine

Johns-Manville Corporation made this film, probably in the 1950s, to promote Marinite, a J-M asbestos bulkhead and joiner panel for ships. It opens with newsreel footage of the 1934 Morro Castle fire, then describes the committee tests that set fire-safe bulkhead requirements, a one-hour furnace test of a Marinite panel under Coast Guard standards, and ships built with it, among them the tanker Atlantic Dealer, the liner America and the SS United States. It shows how the panels are made from asbestos fibre, diatomaceous silica and lime, and shows the test and the manufacturing process.

What it says about asbestos and health

Nothing.

About this copy

Our copy is a transfer of a print from Johns-Manville's own film archive (box 04-03390), shown in full, 18:44 long. Includes newsreel footage of the Morro Castle fire (1934).

Transcript

A machine transcript of the soundtrack, not yet checked against the film; names and technical words may be wrong.

Fire at sea. The dread of mariners down through the centuries. This swift and terrible force that has destroyed hundreds of ships and taken a toll of countless lives reached its tragic climax in the Morro Castle disaster of 1934. But horrible as it was, the Morro Castle fire had one constructive aftermath. It focused attention on the need for fire-safe construction in subsequent shipbuilding so that similar tragedies to that which overtook this ship would not happen again. Soon studies were underway, facts were being sifted, and a committee had been appointed to determine by means of a series of practical tests the requirements of a fire-safe bulkhead material.

Such a material, the committee found, must have three important characteristics. First and foremost, it must be incombustible. Second, the material must maintain its structural integrity in the presence of flame. Third, but by no means least in importance, it should possess sufficient insulating value to confine fires to their point of origin, for it is axiomatic that the spread of fire invariably constitutes its worst potential hazard and this is particularly true of fires on ships. As a pioneer in the manufacture of fire safe asbestos building materials, Johns-Manville was a logical company to produce a bulkhead panel material that would meet these specifications. Here at the Johns-Manville Research Center in in Manville, New Jersey, the same team of scientists and engineers that had produced so many of the outstanding developments in fire-safe building construction went to work on the problem.

The result was a completely new and different material that has proved itself ideally suited to the high safety standards now required on American ships. Moreover, these fire-safe Marinite panels offer the marine architect and shipbuilder other important practical advantages as well. They insulate against heat, cold, and noise. Structurally strong, they are capable of withstanding severe abuse. Yet they are relatively light in weight and easily workable. And with all these utilitarian features, their decorative possibilities are virtually unlimited.

This panel, for example, has been faced on both sides with an attractive plastic finish. finish, one of a number of surface treatments that are possible with this versatile material. But first, let's see how Marinite meets the requirements of fire safety. In this test, one of a series made by an independent testing laboratory in accordance with Coast Guard standards, a Marinite panel is placed in a specially constructed test furnace to determine its structural integrity in the presence of flame and its ability to provide an effective barrier against the spread of fire. With the panel in place, thermocouples are attached to both faces for accurate measurement of the relative temperatures and the furnace is ignited. Now the flames begin to sear the exposed side of the panel. Higher and higher they climb.

As the fire rages inside the furnace, engineers record the temperatures at intervals throughout the test. This typical graph shows the test results. The upper curve represents the temperature of the exposed side of the panel. The lower curve is the temperature of the unexposed side. Note the wide separation of the two curves, convincing evidence of Marinite's high insulating value. After a one-hour test period during which the exposed side has been subjected to heat up to 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit the temperature of the unexposed side is below the limit of 250 degrees allowed by the Coast Guard and the entire panel still remains intact this ability of Marinite panels to serve as an effective barrier against the spread of fires has been demonstrated numerous times in actual service at sea one such instance involved the tanker Atlantic Dealer in collision with another vessel, the Atlantic Dealer's after deck quickly became a blazing inferno when burning crude oil was released on the surface of the water.

Yet the Marinite panels used in her construction kept heat levels down so effectively that the ship's crew was able to fight the fire successfully. The blaze was confined and in less than an hour it was completely extinguished. Marinite's rugged resistance to abuse was severely put to the test in the liner America. Launched in 1938, the America was one of the first transatlantic liners to employ completely fire-safe construction. Her Marinite panels, used as bulkheads in many locations throughout the ship, were an important part of her fire-safe design. Later, when she was pressed into service as a troop carrier, the America transported hundreds of thousands of our troops and many tons of equipment to to Europe, and these same Marinite panels were called upon to withstand four years of the hardest kind of abuse.

They came through with flying colors. When the America was returned to peacetime service, her Marinite bulkheads were found to be in such excellent condition that very few replacements were needed. A look at the raw materials from which Marinite is made will help us understand why this modern joiner material can can offer such an unusual combination of advantages. The basic raw materials are shown here, asbestos fibers, diatomaceous silica, and lime, three incombustible materials that have all the permanence of stone. But it is the strength of these amazing asbestos fibers, so soft and yielding to the touch, yet actually as strong as piano wire that that contribute so much to the performance of the finished product. Countless numbers of these strong silk-like fibers are distributed uniformly throughout each Marinite panel, forming a reinforcement that adds greatly to its strength and ability to take punishment.

In the manufacturing process, selected asbestos fibers and diatomaceous silica are combined with water and a suitable inorganic binder to form a slurry. slurry. This slurry is carried to a hydraulic press where the panels are formed under pressure into a tough, homogenous sheet of relatively low density and uniformly high strength. As the panels are formed, they are removed from the press bed by means of a suction lift. After curing and drying, the panels pass to a drum-type sander where a smooth surface finish is imparted and the thickness of the sheet is accurately controlled. Following the sanding operation, Marinite marine panels, which are to be further finished, are impregnated with an inorganic primer and again dried. The Marinite panels are then ready to receive one of the many decorative facings available, such as plastic, metal, or wood veneer, or they may be left unfaced to be painted after installation if desired.

Let's go now to the Quincy Yard of the Bethlehem Steel Company Shipbuilding Division to understand how Marinite and other Johns-Manville fire safe joiner materials are used in modern fire safe ship construction. Here the Independence and her sister ship the Constitution are under construction. These are the Marinite panels that are soon to become an important part of the fire safe interior of the Independence. They were stacked here in the yard warehouse ready to be transferred as needed to the fabricating shop or to the ship's side. Because Marinite panels are available in a variety of sizes, only a minimum of cutting and fitting is usually required at the yard. When this is necessary, however, Marinite demonstrates its ready workability.

It cuts easily and a relatively simple sawing arrangement does the job. This unit is of the skill saw type fitted with a silicon carbide cutting wheel. It's also equipped with a dust disposal system which is desirable when volume cutting is to be done. Modern decorative treatment frequently calls for a small bevel along the panel edges. Here a A high-speed router, fitted with a Carboloy bit, is used for this purpose. A piece of angle is attached to the router base to provide alignment.

When the unit is run along the edge of the panel, a smooth, accurate bevel results. After the marked panels have been cut and beveled, they're loaded on cargo trays and transported by trailers to the ship's side. There, they're picked up by an overhead crane and hoisted aboard. Let's follow these Marinite panels to their destination and observe the few remaining operations that are necessary to convert them into fire-safe bulkheads. The first step is the laying of deck channels and deckhead furring to form the boundaries of all spaces. Certain sizes of metal furring can be cut to exact size with a hand-lever operated channel shear of the type shown here.

This gives a clean, square cut, free from burrs. With the deck channels and deck head furring in place, the posts for shell lining are erected, forming the steel framework which will receive the Marinite panels. To provide efficient thermal insulation, Johns-Manville BX Spintex insulation has been installed. This is a specially processed incombustible mineral wool designed to meet rigid Coast Guard and Maritime Administration requirements. In addition to its thermal insulating qualities, it has excellent noise absorption capacity. The insulation is secured in place by welding pins and clips.

Now the cut and beveled Marinite panels are erected. Each panel is set in its proper location. Holes are drilled to accommodate the self-tapping screws used used as fasteners, and the screws driven home. Note that spackling is done over the countersunk screw heads to provide a smooth surface for painting. This demonstration model illustrates how the Marinite panels are joined in a single bulkhead. The adjacent panels are held in perfect alignment by means of the two mating steel channels.

Rounded corner construction is provided by means of a corner post as shown in this model. Here we see the construction of a double bulkhead with the Marinite panels already in place on one side. Notice how readily the screw holes are drilled through this one-half inch thick Marinite panel. Marinite's easy workability is also an asset when the panels must be drilled to support control instruments or to accommodate electric cables and when cutouts are necessary to fit irregular surfaces a bandsaw does this job easily and quickly another fire safe Johns-Manville material used in the Independence is marine veneer like Marinite it is tough and strong and immune to rot and rust furnished in panels of 3/16 inch thickness it's comparatively light in weight and exceptionally tough and for this reason is an excellent ceiling material the panels are easily cut to receive lighting fixtures for many of the public spaces in the Independence her builders chose a noise quieting ceiling of perforated marine acoustical units these units have a perforated facing of marine veneer backed by a blanket of mineral wool that serves as a highly efficient sound-absorbing element. The entire unit is made of incombustible materials. Here, a suspended ceiling of these fire-safe acoustical units is being installed.

In addition to keeping noise at an undisturbing level, such a ceiling also provides thermal insulation and may be painted whenever necessary without reducing its noise-quieting effectiveness. Each unit is fastened to the steel framing members by means of self-tapping screws inserted through holes drilled in the panels. And so we've observed some of the many ways in which modern fire-safe joiner materials were used in the construction of a modern fire-safe passenger ship. Now as the Independence enters New York Harbor to begin her maiden voyage, let's go below once more for a glimpse of her completed accommodations. Here is a typical double stateroom. Notice that its attractively finished Marinite panels are completely in keeping with the quiet good taste of its appointments.

In this stateroom, the Marinite bulkheads were finished in an attractive gray to harmonize with the bold modern treatment employed here. In public spaces throughout the Independence, Marinite panels and and perforated marine acoustical units also contribute to the comfort and safety of this fine ship. In this lounge, passengers can relax in the quiet atmosphere provided by its efficient sound-absorbing ceiling of perforated marine veneer and the restful charm of its attractive Marinite-paneled bulkheads. Tourist-class passengers, too, enjoy pleasant living quarters aboard the Independence. So far we've talked mostly about passenger ships, but today many of our finest tankers are being built with Marinite bulkheads to ensure the fire protection that is so vitally important in the ships carrying inflammable cargoes. In cargo ship construction, where the trend is toward larger loads and greater speeds, Marinite is also a logical choice as a bulkhead material.

Here, Marinite offers a combination of light weight with strength, fire protection, and rugged resistance to abuse. In the normal thickness used, Marinite weighs less than three pounds per square foot, yet it has ample strength for use as a freestanding bulkhead. In ferries, as in cargo ships, bulkhead materials are called upon to withstand constant severe punishment. This Staten Island ferry is being built to take that kind of abuse. Her fire-safe Marinite bulkheads will require little or no maintenance through the years, yet they will contribute much to passenger comfort because Marinite also provides thermal insulation and helps to deaden noise. In tugboat service, Marinite offers another special advantage.

Its low-density structure assures freedom from drumming, so often a problem in the cramped quarters aboard a tug. Here, too, Marinite provides effective noise damping. Although in areas where noise levels are high and the most efficient acoustical treatment is desirable, perforated marine acoustical units are usually recommended. No discussion of modern shipping would be complete without mentioning the United States, latest glamour girl of the United States Lines. Her top speed is a military secret, secret, but it is no secret that she is probably the fastest transatlantic liner ever built. One reason for this is that special consideration was given to the selection of lightweight materials in the construction of this superliner.

More than half a million square feet of Marinite were used to create the interiors in this great ship. Although as we've seen, the standard Marinite panels are comparatively light in weight for bulkhead materials, a special type of Marinite of even less density was supplied for the United States. A resultant lower displacement is an important factor contributing to her unprecedented speed. Today, as in the days of the famous clipper ships of a century ago, American ships stand as evidence of American ingenuity and ability to find a better way of doing things. American industry, industry, working hand-in-hand with marine architects and engineers, strives constantly to supply products to make our ships safer, faster, more comfortable, more efficient. Johns-Manville, producer of Marinite, the fire-safe bulkhead material, is proud to play a part in helping to make these accomplishments possible for the ships of the American Merchant Marine.