01 What is a Marine Evacuation System?

A Marine Evacuation System is a fully engineered lifesaving arrangement designed to rapidly transfer passengers and crew safely from a vessel to a liferaft in an emergency. Instead of relying on traditional davit-launched lifeboats, MES systems enable rapid, controlled evacuation through an automatically deployed slide or chute connected to large-capacity inflatable liferafts.

02 A Timeline of Continuous Innovation

The development of MES can be traced back to the inflatable liferaft technologies pioneered in the early 20th century. The breakthrough moment came in 1979, when Survitec’s RFD introduced the first-ever MES for the passenger ferry market. This initial concept, an inclined inflatable slide paired with high-capacity SOLAS liferafts, provided a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional lifeboats. It marked the beginning of a new era in evacuation safety.

03 Marin Ark2: World-Leading MES Technology

The Marin Ark2 is one of the largest dry-shod MES in the world. Its unique design provides space for 158 passengers and can be expanded to accommodate up to 948 passengers, evacuated into the liferafts via dual helical chutes. It enables rapid and safe evacuation of up to 948 passengers in less than 30 minutes. Features include simple crew operations and a robust, fully reversible liferaft, with multiple buoyancy compartments ensuring maximum stability and safety in the most challenging sea conditions.