Since the formation of its On Board Services division three years ago, Viking Life-Saving Equipment has had much success in providing lifeboat and marine fire services. The company is now expanding upon its achievements and offering even more services for ship owners.
“Over the last few years we have worked diligently to increase our services and become more customer-focused,” said Al Osle, managing director of Viking Americas.
“This division will define the future for us.”
John Sanford, who will manage the division in the Americas, added, “In the past we have always been thought of as ‘the liferaft guys’ which we are extremely proud of but, as we move forward we want to open up that definition to include the entire lifesaving appliance (LSA) spectrum.”
Last year Viking introduced its highly successful Ship Owner’s Agreement (SOA) program offering long-term lease and service agreements for liferafts. Since then, Viking has secured contracts with high profile ship owners.
With the Ship Owner Agreements in place, Viking can also manage and provide a wide menu of services, including exchange programs for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), annual or 5-year lifeboat inspections and marine fire fighting system re-certification.
“Liferaft service is typically performed in our own facilities, whereas the other services are performed onboard the vessel,” continued Sanford.
“Our onboard technicians are all seasoned professionals and have been well trained and factory/OEM-certified. The program’s success thus far is really a testament to the quality of the technicians.”
“When one considers the amount of safety equipment on board that needs to be serviced, there are advantages to choosing one company that can do it all,” said Sanford. “The lifeboat and marine fire divisions complete our service offering, simplifying and consolidating maintenance for our customers.”
Viking Americas offers its On Board Services to ship owners in most major ports throughout North America, Central America and the Caribbean via fixed, flat rate pricing. Services are provided in its customers’ regions as part of Viking’s global network.
