Survitec enhances lifeboat inspection solution to deliver savings and flexibility for ship operators
Leading survival technology provider, Survitec, has relaunched its lifeboat inspection solution underpinned by the company’s novel ‘Hub and Spoke’ network model.
Lifeboat Inspection 402, devised in line with regulations mandated in 2020 under SOLAS Chapter III & IMO MSC.402(96), has been enhanced to deliver greater flexibility and convenience to vessel operators.
Metkel Yohannes, Survitec’s Lifeboat Product Category Manager said: “We have significantly optimised our global lifeboat inspection solution to better reflect the operational needs of our customers and local dynamics.
In addition, our Lifeboat Inspection 402 solution includes further enhancements to its agreement options. For instance, as well as traditional spot market lifeboat inspections, Survitec offers more cost-effective frame or subscription-based agreements. Customers can benefit from lower costs, port priority and due-date management – all from a single point of contact.
Lifeboat inspections must be carried out annually, with a more extensive inspection and load testing taking place at five-year intervals. But, as Yohannes explained, waiting until the certificate’s expiry date to sort out an inspection is not the most efficient approach.
“This is where the Hub and Spoke model combined with the available agreement options really comes into its own.
“The hub is the main port where our multi-skilled technicians are based, with spokes radiating out to secondary ports. Fully approved and authorised lifeboat inspections can be carried out at any port along the spoke. It has been developed to deliver transparent and predictable pricing, but also a greater degree of operational flexibility and convenience.”
Paul Watkins, Survitec’s Regulatory and Compliance Manager and Chair of the Technical Committee for ILAMA, added: “We want to simplify the lifeboat inspection process and demystify regulation, so our customers have total confidence in their safety equipment. Our Lifeboat Inspection 402 offer delivers a more effective way to achieve compliance and help keep our customers’ vessels operational and our seafarers safe."
As a Flag State authorised multi-brand lifeboat inspection provider, Survitec teams are competent, capable and certified to deliver on all makes and types of lifeboats, davits, and hooks.
Hub ports currently include Singapore, Rotterdam, Fujairah, Shanghai, Doha, Barcelona, Miami, Busan, Aberdeen, Algeciras, and Piraeus. Over 60 Flag Administrations have now authorised Survitec’s Hub & Spoke lifeboat inspections.
Survitec encourages ship operators and managers to reach out with their lifeboat inspection requirements.
About Survitec
Survitec is a global leader in survival and safety solutions to the marine, defence, aviation, and energy markets. Survitec has 3,000 employees worldwide covering eight manufacturing facilities and over 53 owned service centres. It is further supported by a network of over 400 third party service centres and distributors. Survitec has received Z-17 approval as a class-approved service provider from seven major classification societies, and has ISO 9001 certification, the international standard for quality management systems. Throughout its 160-year+ history, Survitec has remained at the forefront of innovation, design and application engineering and is the trusted name when it comes to critical global safety and survival solutions.