Safety solutions provider Survitec has agreed a deal with service support operator Atlantic & Peninsula (A&P) Australia to upgrade the Marin Ark marine evacuation system (MES) on board the Australian Navy vessel HMAS Choules.
The contract, worth $450,000 AUD (£245,000 GBP), will see Survitec upgrade all rafts and chutes in two onboard MES systems.
Marin Ark 1 is uniquely designed to ensure utmost stability in the toughest heavy sea conditions and can be fully inflated and operational within 90 seconds of deployment. The liferafts are fully reversible, ensuring Marin Ark 1 inflates upright every time, and evacuation chutes are fully enclosed ensuring no passenger is exposed to the elements during evacuation.
Its compact all-in-one stowage design means it requires a minimal deck footprint and allows for easy system swap-outs, ensuring minimal vessel downtime.
The bulk of Survitec’s previous MES work has been maintaining and recertifying existing systems, but this replacement order represents a more significant undertaking and extends the operational life of the system for the customer.
Craig Johnson, Managing Director of Survitec’s Australian operation, said: “The Marin Ark 1 and 2 are the industry benchmark for marine evacuation systems and marry intelligent design with rapid deployment and unrivalled safety and robustness.
“We regularly carry out servicing and recertification on existing modules to ensure they meet a strict maintenance and deployment regime and are fit for purpose, but at periodic intervals it also makes sense to replace certain components to ensure regulatory compliance and customer peace of mind, as well as extending the life of the entire system. We have enjoyed a fruitful relationship with A&P Australia and we look forward to continue to meeting its safety and servicing needs.”