New Player Delivers Divers Lifeboat
Oceanwide Safety at Sea maybe a new name in the marine safety field but with 12 of its team coming from Mulder & Rijke and Schatt Harding , there is no shortage of experience among the staff. Founded in 2002, Rotterdam based Oceanwide S. a.S.
is a certified service organisation for inspection, maintenance, repair and class service as well as sales of new and used lifeboats, rescue craft and workboats.
Oceanwide also own and are exclusive worldwide distributors for Holland Lifeboats International (HLI), which earlier this year acquired the original moulds and prototype certificates as well as all type approvals (including MED and SOLAS) from Mulder & Rijke.
Oceanwide may be the only company in the world now building the Hyperbaric Lifeboat (HLB) system and, through HLI, has just delivered a newbuild to French offshore diving and construction company Comex.
The HLB will enable divers in a pressure chamber on board a vessel to be rescued from the diving system in case a major incident necessitates the mother ship’s evacuation.
The HLB system includes a lifeboat with all ancillary equipment including engine, crew facilities and life support systems plus a hyperbaric chamber and control equipment which is integrated into the vessel’s construction. The 8.5m LOA craft is constructed of hand laminated GRP with a round bilge form hull and a totally enclosed superstructure with the steering tower aft.
There are integrated longitudinal buoyancy tanks filled with polyurethane foam and additional buoyancy in the top makes the hull self-righting even when heavily damaged.
Power from a single 48hp Bukh type DV 48 RME SOLAS engine will take the craft, which weighs 11,000 kg fully loaded and occupied, to over 6 knots while simultaneously driving the water pump for external fire protection via a water spray system.
The lifeboat will mount on a diving support vessel or offshore rig. It is equipped for single point lifting with an off load release hook mounted on the hanging off plate from the chamber.
It carries two crew and a life support technician to operate the hyperbaric chamber, which will accommodate 9 divers.
The vessel’s systems, fuel tank, food and water supplies are based on an endurance of 72 hours.
The HLB is built in accordance with the SOLAS 1974/83/96 requirements and those of Lloyds Register of Shipping as applicable.
MJ Information No: 18921
