Survitec Group is operating under the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Guidance Note (MGN) 553

Following the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s guidance note published in October 2016, Survitec is already fully compliant. The guidance note provides leadership on the MCA policy with regards to the acceptable standards of non-SOLAS inflatable Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) for use on certain UK registered commercial vessels. It also sets out the process for the servicing requirements of such Life-Saving Applicances.

Some of the key elements of the guidance note are:

Non-SOLAS inflatable LSA (including lifejackets and life rafts) fitted to commercial vessels should be serviced in accordance with the original equipment manufacturer’s instructions. This must only be by a service station authorised or approved by the OEM.

Non-SOLAS liferafts marketed as compliant with ISO 9650 are not to be marked for a capacity other than 4 to 12 persons.

Non-SOLAS liferafts built to comply with the ORC standard previously accepted on UK commercial vessels are formally being phased out of service in accordance with the arrangements detailed in this Marine Guidance Notice.

Richard Robinson, Head of Technical Sales, Commercial Marine (UK), Survitec Group commented “As always at Survitec Group when there is a Marine Guidance Notice our modus operandi is to go above and beyond. We are passionate about putting safety first and as such we are already fully compliant with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency Guidance Notice 553.”