Roussakis Supplies Joins RightShip’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program to Support Safer Hot-Work Operations at Sea

Hot work is an essential part of vessel maintenance and repair, but the handling and distribution of oxygen and acetylene introduces risks that need to be carefully managed. Appropriate equipment, procedures and crew awareness all play a role in safely distributing gases from cylinders through to cutting and welding equipment.

Roussakis Supplies has joined RightShip’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program, bringing its experience in marine and industrial gas distribution to a collaborative network focused on technologies and solutions that can contribute towards safer and more sustainable maritime operations.

Through the Program, Roussakis Supplies aims to support safer hot-work practices by contributing its expertise in onboard oxygen–acetylene gas safety, equipment traceability and gas distribution systems.

Managing the Risks Associated With Hot Work

The equipment used to deliver oxygen and acetylene from cylinders to cutting and welding tools is an important part of managing hot-work risk on board.

Among the risks Roussakis Supplies is seeking to address are hoses or connections becoming disconnected under pressure, flashback through the gas system, and the continued use of equipment that may be expired or difficult to trace.

Its Oxygen–Acetylene Gas Distribution System brings together pressure regulators, flashback arrestors, high-pressure hose assemblies and cutting and welding equipment as a standardised system for use on board vessels.

The system distributes oxygen and acetylene from cylinders through regulators and flashback arrestors before reaching the cutting or welding torch. Connections incorporate safety-wire retention intended to reduce the risk of disconnection under pressure, while flashback arrestors provide protection against flame propagation through the system.

Manufacturing-date traceability also provides greater visibility of the equipment being used on board.

Applying Marine Experience to Equipment Design

Headquartered in Aspropyrgos, Greece, Roussakis Supplies has more than 70 years of experience in industrial and marine supply, including marine and industrial gases, gas distribution systems, cutting and welding technology and other marine safety equipment.

That experience has informed the development of its oxygen–acetylene system for the conditions encountered on board vessels.

According to Roussakis Supplies, one of the challenges in developing the system was adapting industrial gas-distribution experience to an operating environment affected by vessel movement, vibration, corrosion and confined working spaces, while maintaining equipment traceability across its supply network.

The company continues to develop the system through experience and feedback from the field.

Supporting Safer Working Practices at Sea

Managing hot-work risk extends beyond the individual components of a gas distribution system. Appropriate equipment needs to be supported by effective installation and maintenance practices, as well as the knowledge of crews and technical teams responsible for its use.

Through the Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program, Roussakis Supplies aims to support the safe adoption of certified oxygen–acetylene gas distribution systems across more vessels, while increasing awareness and transparency around onboard gas safety.

The company also emphasises crew and technical-team training alongside manufacturing-date traceability. Together, these measures can help provide greater visibility of the equipment in use and support crews and technical teams in managing it appropriately throughout its service life.

Roussakis Supplies intends to continue refining its approach through experience from newbuildings and vessels already in service, using field-driven learning to inform future safety enhancements.

Collaborating Towards Zero Harm

The Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program brings together organisations from across the maritime supply chain to encourage knowledge sharing, practical technology development and longer-term collaboration around safety and sustainability.

By contributing its specialist experience in oxygen–acetylene gas distribution and onboard gas safety, Roussakis Supplies brings a practical area of expertise to this wider collaborative effort.

Its focus on safer hot-work practices, equipment transparency, crew awareness and continued improvement aligns with RightShip’s ambition to encourage practical solutions and shared learning that can contribute towards a zero-harm maritime industry.

RightShip looks forward to working with Roussakis Supplies as part of the Zero Harm Innovation Partners community and advancing the industry’s shared journey towards Zero Harm.

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