Philip Strong News

Transferring personnel to offshore installations using crewboats and crane-lifted carriers is a common operation around the world; however, practices, levels of training, standards and the equipment used vary greatly. According to DNV GL, risk assessments currently use outdated statistics, and there is no central system for recording levels of activity and incidents. To improve safety performance and raise the profile of this operation DNV GL, the global provider of risk management services, has carried out a study for the newly launched Marine Transfer Forum.

A seminar focusing on crew transfer contingency planning is to be held in Aberdeen on Monday (September 2) organized by specialist transfer and lifting companies Reflex Marine and EnerMech. The event, which is free and open to everyone with an interest in the subject, has been organized in response to a high level of inquiries from people keen to learn about alternative means of transferring crews offshore. Reflex Marine CEO Philip Strong said, “Crew transfer is obviously at the forefront of thought in the oil and gas industry at the moment. Following the seminar there will be a demonstration of transfer equipment and advice on practical aspects of operations.

Reflex Marine reported 52% growth in the last year through expanding global markets. Reflex said it has reached £5.8 million turnover, almost double its forecasted growth of 27% - with a profit before tax of around £1 million. Reflex Marine will donate 7.5% of its net profits (a record c.£56,000) to charitable causes via its not-for-profit Reflex Foundation. Reflex Marine supplies crew transfer devices and associated services. Its main products are the FROG and TORO – capsules that hold between three and nine crew-members to transfer them safely between a platform and vessel using a crane.

Each year millions of offshore crew transfers take place and, whether by helicopter or vessel, the transfer process is one of the areas of greatest risk for personnel in global operations. Offshore transfer specialists, Reflex Marine are bringing safer crew change to the Campos Basin off Brazil in the shape of its FROG personnel transfer capsule. The volume of personnel transferred by crane is estimated to be similar to that transferred by helicopter. In many areas of the world crane transfer is the primary means of crew change.

Reflex Marine launched its revolutionary Toro personnel transfer capsule on Jan. 21 in Aberdeen, Scotland at the same time announcing the unit’s first sales. The launch celebration at the Maritime Museum, followed a demonstration at Woollard & Henry, Aberdeen. Following purchases by Chevron and BG Group, the crew transfer device will soon be operating in the North Sea and North Africa. Enquiries have also been received from operators in Asia-Pacific, Middle East and USA. The Aberdeen…