Global Survival Technology solutions provider Survitec has introduced a new rental and exchange service to ensure ship operators always have fully serviced and certified immersion suits onboard.

SuitXChange offers two immersion suits from its world-leading brands, Hansen Protection and Crewsaver. It is a fast exchange service designed to remove the administrative, financial, and operational challenges ship managers face awaiting the return of serviced suits during scheduled port visits.

The development, which provides a more timely and sustainable solution for immersion suit servicing, follows the success of Survitec’s RaftXChange service. When Survitec introduced the world’s first global Liferaft exchange programme in 2008, the industry quickly saw the benefits of quick port turnaround, controlled compliance, and lower capital costs.

Metkel Yohannes, Survitec’s Director of Service and Rental Solutions, said: “By opting for a rental and exchange agreement, no capital investment is required. The prices are fixed, meaning our customers will never be hit with unforeseen costs, allowing them to plan and budget more accurately”.

Under Survitec’s new SuitXChange programme, immersion suits due for certification can be replaced with newly serviced, fully certified suits of the same type, which are ready for exchange as soon as the vessel enters port, supporting customer calls for shorter port stays. The logistics required to service suits are reduced, so less transportation is needed, resulting in a more environmentally sustainable operation. The service facilitates overall cost reduction and better management through fixed annual charges. At the same time, Survitec’s team of highly skilled technicians ensure immersion suits are always compliant with the regulations.

Survitec implemented an eight-month SuitXChange pilot programme to gain insight from its customers. The research helped the company tailor the service to ship managers’ requirements before launching to the market.

“Ship managers often tell us they struggle to get their suits serviced in time, having to rent or buy additional suits to prevent port delays. And then had to pay for those suits being serviced to be shipped to their next location for pickup. With SuitXChange, ship managers no longer need to worry about ensuring they have compliant suits and in-date certificates. We take care of it all”, said Survitec’s Product Category Manager, Alex Scollins.

Ship managers who have already signed a Survitec rental agreement say SuitXChange negates any immersion suit capital expenditure and can reduce the time their vessel spends in port. SuitXChange also eliminates the administrative burden of due-date management, tracking, managing, and ensuring that all associated tasks are completed. Under the agreement, Survitec will fulfil all related tasks.

Since different immersion suits have different service intervals, Survitec offers its Crewsaver Endurance immersion suit for a six-year rental period, with exchanges taking place every three years.

The enhanced SuitXChange+ program offers the premium Hansen Protection SeaEco+ immersion suit, certified for use without a lifejacket.

Both offer fully tested, certified, and SOLAS-compliant immersion suits for a fixed annual rental fee. It is a mandatory requirement under SOLAS regulation III/32 (as amended by resolution MSC.152(78) that all persons on board merchant ships have an immersion suit regularly serviced and certified to prolong the in-water life of each crew member following ship abandonment ship.

“We offer a straightforward administration approach with a key account manager backed up by an experienced global customer service team. We facilitate all the preparation and logistics of the immersion suit exchange, delivering peace of mind.

“We have the largest, most comprehensive service network worldwide, so we can guarantee that immersion suits are replaced with newly serviced, fully certified suits of the same type at all the major maritime hubs,” said Yohannes.