VIKING FIRE NOZZLES

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has reported a surge in demand for its one-stop shop Shipowner Agreement concept, following the integration of the Drew Marine Fire Safety and Rescue (FSR) division into its maritime safety solutions business. Having added all Drew Marine FSR marine firefighting equipment services (MFS) activities to its own credentials in life-saving appliances late 2019, VIKING is now a prominent supplier and service provider in the MFS segment. The Denmark based company employs over 100 specialist technicians who provide marine fire support in 47 countries, while its comprehensive portfolio covers all of the equipment and appliances needed for fighting shipboard fires. STCW training According to Helene Mønsted Andersen, Corporate Sales Manager, Owner Agreements, the acquisition is already paying dividends: “Our position in the marine fire segment is far stronger now that we have Drew Marine FSR on board. The company’s stellar reputation and extensive global network in the MFS market are making an appreciable difference just six months on from the takeover.” ”Since the integration of the two business entities, VIKING has been invited to bid on tenders for which it previously would not have been considered”, says Andersen, with several clients signing up for the full SOA citing the acquisition as their reason for doing so. “Now, when customers think of marine fire safety, they see VIKING as a center for excellence, as a global partner and as a complete service provider.” Foam solution As an example, William Gielen, Global Director of VIKING Marine Fire Service, highlights a recent business win in which a large global tanker operator opted for VIKING’s foam solution after becoming dissatisfied with the testing process for its existing system. “There is no doubt that the recent enhancement of our fire safety services played a crucial role in this contract,” he says. If VIKING’s new competencies in drydocking as well as medical oxygen supply and servicing have given the company a competitive edge, its overall offering is proving popular with former Drew Marine FSR clients, adds Gielen. “Knowing that they can rely on the same high-quality service that they have always enjoyed but with even more options, a number of Drew Marine clients have appointed VIKING to cover all of their safety needs,” he says. “Our Shipowner Agreement is more comprehensive than ever before, and this has been reflected in the positive response from customers both old and new.”

VIKING will work with Babcock Offshore to deliver aviation suits for Serica crew in the British sector of the North Sea. The contract marks VIKING’s second major success in the offshore aviation segment in as many years, following on from 2019 year’s agreement with CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited, which also involved Babcock as aviation provider. STCW training Supplying offshore aircrews is an increasingly important focus for us, and we are quickly proving ourselves" Benny Carlsen, VIKING senior vice president of global sales and marketing, sees these supply and service agreements as a sign of things to come. “Supplying offshore aircrews is an increasingly important focus for us, and we are quickly proving ourselves in this fiercely competitive market,” he says. Carlsen believes there is a direct link between VIKING’s ongoing efforts to enhance its products and services and its impact in this specialized sector. Its latest aviation suit is one kilogram lighter than its predecessor, for example, and is fitted with a radio-frequency identification device (RFID) equipped to track its condition and detect any possible weak spots. Corporate social responsibility The use of RFIDs also cuts paper consumption significantly, improving operational efficiency while also benefiting the environment in a way that aligns closely with VIKING’s corporate social responsibility policy, says Heather McManus, VIKING global sales manager for aviation. “Serica Energy is strongly committed to minimizing its environmental impact, a commitment demonstrated in the fact that these suits feature reusable Velcro® straps instead of plastic packaging,” she adds. “Those working at sea are perhaps more conscious than anyone of the impact our throwaway culture has on the oceans. Cutting out single-use plastics isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s what our customers want to see.”

​​​VIKING Safety Academy has addressed a fast-emerging seafarer training issue brought by coronavirus by delivering a unique e-learning tool that can keep seafarers STCW compliant until restrictions on movement and social interactions come to an end. With many countries in lockdown, face to face seafarer training is also being suspended and some flag administrations have responded by granting automatic three-month extensions to the STCW Certificates seafarers must update every five years. However, VIKING Safety Academy has designed a unique training set-up so that seafarers can undergo training for a full certificate renewal even while the crisis persists. VIKING Safety Academy has worked with Estonia’s Reval Safety Training to offer STCW refresher training on an e-learning basis for Estonian seafarers. Personal Survival Techniques The training set-up includes: Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats, Fast Rescue Boats and Advanced Fire Fighting. “Seafarers can now use e-learning to train and renew certificates during these extraordinary times and maintain proof of competence,” says Camilla Runge Nissen, VIKING Safety Academy Product Manager, Training. "They can secure a longer six months extension and can make good use of the time getting ahead in the compliance process.” provisional STCW certificate Seafarers can visit a Reval Safety Training center during the six-month period for classroom/practical training Once the seafarer has completed the e-learning course, whether onboard or at home, he/she is given a provisional STCW certificate extension. Should conditions allow, seafarers can visit a Reval Safety Training center during the six-month period for classroom/practical training and secure a five-year Certificate of Proficiency, or complete once the crisis passes. While the STCW certificates extension based on e-learning is only available to Estonian residents for now, the course could easily be extended to other flag states, Nissen says. “All elements of the temporary package have been approved by the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA), we are already talking to other flag states and we can quickly roll this out.” digitally powered solutions The Norwegian Maritime Authority recently announced that it will allow seafarers onboard Norwegian vessels to join vessels until July 1st this year, even if they have only completed the theoretical relevant parts of STCW. “Under this guidance, e-learning is part of the picture, demonstrating that the set-up developed for Estonia can be very useful elsewhere.” Benny Carlsen, VIKING Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, adds that the new e-learning initiative aligns closely with group efforts to keep seafarers and owners compliant, safe, and as hassle and worry free as possible “free from stress”. “In extraordinary times, we need proactive and digitally-powered solutions to ensure that a training headache does not become a lasting issue.”