Liferaft Exchange

15,000 Exchanges for WSS LRE Program

Liferaft Exchange concept continues to expand globally. Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s (WSS) market-leading global Liferaft Exchange Programme (LRE) is set to hit 15,000 exchanges since its launch just over two years ago and continues to expand, according to Dave Evans, WSS product marketing manager for liferafts. The LRE concept, which exchanges service-due liferafts and life-saving appliances for operational ones, allows vessel operators to take better control of costs and reduces the chance of getting caught out by unforeseen service dates and weak links in the supply chain which can prove to be costly.   Developed in response to customer feedback and following a pilot programme involving several major ship owners and operators, usage of the LRE service has increased so quickly that WSS logistics operators are currently working at full stretch to meet demand. Mr Evans explained that the global liferaft market has undergone a period of consolidation over the last 15 years which has left the market with a small number of suppliers, with the majority of distribution handled by distributors and dealerships. The stand-out advantage of WSS’s LRE programme is that fact that it services customers all over the world through its established global network, providing a direct capability and wide product supply scope.  

E.R. Schiffahrt Goes Global with Viking

Viking Life-Saving Equipment and E.R. Schiffahrt have teamed up to design a fully customized, global servicing arrangement based on Viking’s Shipowner Agreements. The contract covers liferafts, lifeboats, immersion suits, lifejackets and marine fire systems and equipment such as fire extinguishers on more than 30 vessels of the shipowner’s fleet. The plan is for Viking to manage not just service notifications, but also the coordination of all servicing. 

DBC Marine Safety Systems Celebrates 25 Years

DBC Marine Safety Systems announced the celebration of their 25th anniversary. Located in Richmond, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver, DBC has grown from a small service station to one of the world’s largest lifecraft manufacturers. Since 1977, DBC has developed and continues to manufacture a comprehensive range of yachting and commercially approved liferafts, platforms and passenger evacuation systems available today.

Passenger Evacuation at a Push of a Button

Evacuating large numbers of passengers is now easier than ever with the new VIKING fully automatic liferaft and slide system.   Marine and fire safety equipment leader VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has developed a 153-person, open reversible liferaft and mini slide system packed into a single aluminum stowage box. Named the VAS (VIKING Automatic Slide), and designed and certified for vessels on domestic voyages such as ferries sailing in protected waters

LR: Statutory Alert

Carrying capacity of liferafts – revision to LSA Code Chapter IV (Applicabilty: Shipbuilders, owners and managers). Amendments to Chapter IV of the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, introduce an increased assumed mass of occupants for the approval of liferafts*.   From January 1, 2012, all inflatable and rigid liferafts should be constructed on the basis of an average person mass of occupants of 82.5kg (increased from 75kg)

WSS Expands in South America

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) annonced plans to expand in South America to serve the growing cruise and offshore sectors. Prior to this month’s Cruise Shipping Miami, Area Director Henrique Schlaepfer said: “South America continues to be an area of concentrated investment for WSS. Over the last year we have put in place a new management team with responsibility for almost 200 employees, operating in key positions in Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Argentina”. 

Trico Marine Completes Exchange Offer

Trico Marine Services, Inc. announced that as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time on September 26, 2002, its offer to exchange up to $250 million principal amount of its registered 8 7/8% Senior Notes due 2012 for any and all outstanding unregistered 8 7/8% Senior Notes due 2012 expired and that all of its unregistered 8 7/8% Senior Notes due 2012 were tendered in the exchange offer and accepted

Hornbeck Offshore to Commence Exchange Offer

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. announced the commencement, on Friday, March 3, 2006, of its offer to exchange any and all of the $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 6.125% Series A Senior Notes due 2014 (CUSIPs 440543 AC 0 and U44070 AB 3) (collectively, the "Old Notes"), which were sold in accordance with Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") for an equal aggregate principal amount of its 6

Datema Appointed Ocean Safety Distributor in The Netherlands

Ocean Safety has appointed a new distributor in the Netherlands to supply the company’s range of equipment including the Kru range of lifejackets, Ocean Safety liferafts and lifebuoys, first aid kits, survival suits and Aquaspec lights. Datema, which is part of the Nautical Safety Group, is prominent in the field of nautical safety and nautical data, (including Enc Track), in the Netherlands. The company and its 45 employees are based in Delfzijl and Rotterdam

North Sea Ship Collision: 4 Dead 8 Missing

MOL's RoRo 'Baltic Ace' sinks in shallow water after colliding with container ship 'Corvus J' off the coast of Holland. The 148-metre (485-foot) car carrier Baltic Ace, sailing under the Bahamas flag, carrying cars from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Kotka in Finland, took water after the collision and the 24 crew took to the liferafts, reports BBC News. Several helicopters and two navy patrol ships continue searching for the missing sailors.