Survitec’s Seahaven lifeboat has received full type approval certification from classification society Lloyd’s Register and is set to be installed on cruise ships, according to a press release.
Lloyd’s Register chief operations officer Mark Darley presented the certificate of type approval to Survitec’s sales director Mark Cotton during the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, Germany, according to Survitec.
“We are delighted to receive Lloyd’s Register Type Approval. The Certificate of Type Approval signifies all required regulatory testing has been successfully completed. Receiving this certificate is a significant achievement both for Survitec and the maritime industry at large,” said Cotton.
Heavy weather sea trials for the inflatable lifeboat were successfully completed in December, and all environmental and physical testing was performed in April, outlined by Lloyd’s Register type approval.
The 1,060-capacity inflatable lifeboat incorporates all of the safety features associated with a traditional lifeboat and MES configuration. Seahaven’s compact design and higher evacuation capability free up to 85 percent of cruise ship deck space, resulting in up to $8.4 million more revenue per year for cruise companies.
“Commercially, the Seahaven journey is really just beginning. Since we officially launched this ground-breaking technology earlier this year, we have advanced our discussions with key industry players on the numerous benefits and the value of installing Seahaven onboard their vessels,” commented McCormick.
The certification provides the industry with an alternative to the traditional lifeboat arrangement and confirms that Seahaven meets the International Maritime Organization’s rules for the evacuation of cruise ship passengers and crew.
“Survitec’s Seahaven inflatable lifeboat solution is a breakthrough in innovative space-saving design and will present significant opportunities for cruise ship owners whilst prioritizing safety at sea. Lloyd’s Register are extremely proud to award Type Approval Certification to Survitec for this design,” added Darley.
