New davit regulations drive market step change

Vestdavit in Norway says new regulations on davits used in the offshore industry on both sides of the Atlantic are driving a step change in safe davit design. From 2015, API 2 regulations in the US and Norsok R002 regulations in Norway will come into force.

Both sets of regulations apply to davits and lifting appliances used on offshore installations and specify many new design features and safety systems. In Norwegian waters, Norsok R002 will be retrospective, requiring every davit on offshore platforms in Norwegian waters to be inspected and updated to the new standards.

Although strictly applying only to fixed installations, the new standards are already being seen as raising the bar for offshore boat handling systems on ships serving in the offshore industry. It is likely that the majority of offshore contractors and labour organisations will demand the same standards of safety on ships as on fixed rigs.

Key elements of both sets of regulations are requirements for a dual independent winch brake system, reinforced davit structure, and hydraulic power pack and electrical cabinet built in compliance with EX zone regulations. Most modern offshore davits are already fitted with required safety features such as self-tensioners and Solas emergency systems. “All of the new requirements bring all offshore davits up to the standards of best practice already prevailing,” said Vestdavit, although the company noted that the regulations make mandatory many of the features which Vestdavit has been designing into its davits for years.

Denmark’s Esvagt was the first offshore service company to specify Norsok R002 standard for its new generation of field support vessels. Esvagt Aurora was built in Spain and will be delivered this summer fitted with a Norsok R002-built PLR-5000 Man Overboard Boat davit. It will be chartered to ENI for deployment in the Barents Sea Goliat field. OSJ