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What exactly is an ‘extended service interval’ liferaft? Extended service interval liferafts are permitted under SOLAS regulation 20.8.3, which enables liferafts to be inspected at longer intervals than 12 months, as long as the same safety levels are met as for conventional liferafts. Less handling The liferafts must be annually tested on board by trained and certified personnel, but require less handling than conventional products. So they carry lower associated costs (such as barge, overtime and transportation) than standard liferafts. More planning Service dates are based on the date of manufacture, and extension are not allowed – or grace periods for dated items. Extended service interval liferafts can only be serviced at specially equipped, certified service stations. Similar costs Experience shows that in the long run, higher costs of specialised services and the need to carry out replacement at certified servicing stations result in a similar overall cost level between extended service interval and standard liferafts. Important to know about rules and regulations The VIKING S30 liferafts are approved according to SOLAS and HSC codes. Onboard testing is covered by IMO resolution MSC.1/Circ.1328 of 11 June 2009, Guidelines for the approval of inflatable liferafts subject to extended service intervals not exceeding 30 months. No possibility for extensions According to SOLAS III / 20.8.1.1 it is possible to get service extensions on standard liferafts (up to 5 months). This does not apply to extended service interval liferafts, for which there is no possibility of extending the interval. For vessels requiring ATEX approved products VIKING liferafts with extended service intervals are packed in an alu bag with a test panel and battery inside the container. The test panel is used for the onboard inspection every 12 months. Unlike other products on the market, VIKING’s testing tool is not electrical and does not need a computer or electrical outlet. A special “ATEX approved” tool is not necessary to conduct the onboard inspections on VIKING liferafts. In fact, liferafts cannot be ATEX approved because the SOLAS required liferaft equipment includes components that are not ATEX approved, such as lights with batteries and pyrotechnics. Due to the SOLAS requirements, there is currently no brand of liferaft on the market with an ATEX approval. 6
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12 month Liferafts VIKING S30 Liferafts Type of Operation SPOT market Long time charter Type of Management Ship Management Shipowner Operation Area Remote ports Main ports Vessel Ownership Short-term Long-term Onboard inspection VIKING Own crew Are liferafts with extended service intervals right for your fleet? Shipowners are always keen to operate cost- efficiently. But not if it means added risk or more administrative hassles. That’s why a decision to move to this type of liferaft has to be carefully considered. A VIKING S30 liferaft is best suited to vessels that: n Only need service in key ports n Make predictable port calls n Don’t expect to change ownership and/or flag state n Won’t require service extensions So they are a possibility for: n Long-term charters and liners n Container vessels calling main ports n Shipowners that don’t change flag states often for any of their vessels n Ferries (with flag state approval) But may not be the best choice for: n Short-term charters (spot market) or liners n Container vessels that call in both main and remote ports n Ship management companies 7
