Nov 19, 2017

Role of marine transfer solutions to enhance personnel safety


The growth in offshore activity and the increasing number of vessels in the Middle East have encouraged companies in the region to review their crew transfer options and make a decisive move towards marine transfer.

A number of options for transferring personnel from vessel to platform exist, and Reflex Marine products have become established as part of operational, logistics and risk assessment plans for most companies in the offshore sectors. Marine transfer is a flexible option and is becoming increasingly popular as a safe and cost-effective alternative to helicopters.

 1. WAVE-4 in use

Crew transfer with WAVE-4

The expansion of the Middle East’s offshore oil and gas industry mirrors the growth in other offshore sectors in the region, and Reflex Marine is working with all these sectors and legislative bodies as they further consider the importance of transferring personnel safely. In the last 18 months the company has made significant advances in supporting the region’s marine industry, including tanker companies, shipyards, and ports.

Reflex Marine’s innovative approach, responsiveness and flexibility enables it to take a comprehensive approach to supporting their clients and the market as a whole. An example of this approach has been the recent launch of the WAVE-4 carrier which, together with the industry-leading FROG-XT range provides protection from the four major risks of personnel transfer: vertical impact, lateral impact, falling and immersion.

The design objectives for all Reflex Marine carriers are based around the four risk categories above. The company developed the most rigorous testing and verification program ever used by the industry to confirm these objectives are met. It adopted methodologies similar to those used to evaluate the safety performance of motor vehicles and assess the risk of injury. Vessel motions, crane speeds, sea states and the impact on the human body were among criteria assessed with the aim of designing a range of carriers with increased protection for personnel during transfer.

Reflex Marine has been present in the Middle East for 15 years, and is working with both national and international oil companies in every country in the Arabian Gulf.

Article featured online at Health, Safety and Security Review Middle East, July 2017