Survitec’s Offshore Mass Evacuation System Granted Type Approval from Lloyds Register of Shipping

The global offshore market can now benefit from a new standard in offshore evacuation following the type approval of Survitec's new Offshore Mass Evacuation System by Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

The type approval was granted after surveyors from the Register completed a detailed review of the evacuation system design and approval test program verifying compliance with all requirements.

The only system on the market to offer full deployment in under one minute, the fully enclosed, deck mounted system can evacuate a maximum of 150 personnel from topsides down to sea level via a fire and smoke protected vertical, telescopic, escape chute directly into a single SOLAS-compliant high capacity life raft. The new configuration eradicates the need for cross boarding from a self-inflated boarding platform so significantly improving evacuee safety during the evacuation process.

The system has undergone a rigorous development and validation testing process and in January this year the Survitec development team set out to Norway to complete Heavy Weather Sea Trials. In spite of the very adverse weather conditions, with waves of over five meters high and wind speeds up to Beaufort 7 level, the trial was a resounding success with the system performing perfectly.

Commenting on the new development, Global Director for Oil & Gas, Michael Andersen said "It's a very exciting time for Survitec.This is the first system of its kind in the marketplace, and we are now in a position to offer customers a safer and more cost effective evacuation solution. Survitec now has the ability to offer a full suite of safety and survival products to the offshore market starting with passenger and crew transit, through to complete on-board platform safety and survival, and now multiple means of evacuation." With a number of orders already in place, the first installations will take place in the forthcoming months.

Survitec would like to thank customers for their input and congratulate the technical team for their efforts in rising to the challenge during the development and type approval process.