Lifesaving systems for patrol boat series
The first in a fleet of eight Cape Class patrol boats has been fitted with French manufactured advanced mini escape slides and liferafts from SurvitecZodiac.
The Cape St George was launched at the Austal yard in West Australia and has now been delivered to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service after fit-out and trials. All eight of the advanced aluminum patrol boats are scheduled for delivery by August 2015.
Each of the vessels will be equipped with two 3.2m SurvitecZodiac small inflatable slide systems (SIS), four 50 person throw-over liferafts plus an additional two 25 person capacity liferafts. All SurvitecZodiac liferafts meet Australian regulations, with each one carrying a specific first aid kit and an EPIRB. The patrol boats will also be fitted with a SurvitecZodiac RIBO 450 davit launched rescue boat which has been manufactured in orange neoprene.
SurvitecZodiac marine escape systems are designed for rapid deployment with the liferafts being launched remotely from the bridge of the vessel. Following the launch of the liferafts, mini escape slides are then deployed to create immediate access to the waiting liferafts so passengers and crew can evacuate the boat extremely quickly.
Small inflatable slides have been developed by SurvitecZodiac specifically for use on high speed and low freeboard vessels to eliminate the slow alternative of descending a short ladder into the liferaft. Because the escape slides are comparatively small, ropes attached to their side tubes can enable people to climb back up them into the boat if the opportunity arises.
The inflatable components of the entire system are manufactured from welded polyurethane fabric. Over 20 years of experience have enabled SurvitecZodiac to perfect the welding technology that ensures all inflatable chambers are exceptionally strong and resistant to adverse environmental conditions. By avoiding the inconsistencies inherent in hand glueing fabric, customers benefit from the quality assurance that enables the rescue systems to resist the effects of extreme heat and humidity.
SurvitecZodiac is an innovator in rescue system technology and last year it introduced the world’s first automatic escape slide, which is designed for use on vessels with small crews. It can be easily activated by a button on the bridge and is inflated and made ready for passenger evacuation without any crew input.
