VIKING Saatsea introduces 24/7 onboard ISPS Code courses

Shipowners hoping to save training costs, reduce risks and increase the efficiency of ISPS Code maritime security compliance can now take advantage of new, computer-based training from VIKING Saatsea.

Esbjerg, Denmark, March 2017– VIKING Saatsea, the maritime e-learning unit of marine and offshore safety equipment leader VIKING Life-Saving Equipment (VIKING), has released a new set of 24/7-accessible, train-at-your-convenience courses to make ISPS Code (the International Ship and Port Security Code) training more efficient and affordable.

Shipowners operating internationally are required to ensure their crews have a range of competencies for dealing with maritime security situations such as piracy or terrorist attacks. Three levels of skills are mandated, depending on the duties and ranking of crew or ship’s officers. VIKING Saatsea’s ISPS Code e-learning courses were developed as a response to customer requests and tested in close cooperation with a major shipping line.

VIKING Saatsea’s CEO, Kim Baarsøe, promises significant savings for shipowners – both in time and direct expenses. “ISPS courses take up to two days of land-based training,” he explains. “That’s a significant expense and a hassle for operations. But given that this type ofSatsea training is almost entirely theoretical, it can easily be conducted on board. Our new courses bring greater flexibility with much lower impact on operations.”

According to VIKING Saatsea, shipowners stand to save as much as half of the normal costs of such training. But training cost-efficiencies are, of course, not the only priority for the e-learning provider. Under multi-year agreements, the new courses can be re-taken at any time, such as before entering a high-risk region. This enables crew to refresh their skills to remain alert to, and prepared to cope with situations that may compromise onboard security.

VIKING Saatsea’s solution is largely unaffected by land-to-sea connection status, enabling it to run either online or offline – and can be accessed both at sea and from land-based locations for administration purposes. Moreover, the here-and-now training flexibility receives greater acceptance from crew being trained, because they are able to undergo training while at sea rather than in their home periods. Training status can be tracked at individual or vessel levels.

Shipowners and operators aren’t the only market for the new ISPS Code courses. Seasoned seafarers and new entrants to the industry will also be able to sign up for one-time access, enabling them to obtain training as part of their efforts to find employment.

For many, adopting the VIKING Saatsea platform, with its growing range of courses, is a first step to a single point for all onboard training. A Course Creator module is also available – a fully customizable version of the company’s onboard training solution that enables companies to design courses for theoretical or practical exercises, with the inclusion of company-specific equipment for greater relevance. By choosing from a variety of standard templates, shipowners or operators can create, implement and administrate courses that, for example, introduce crew to new equipment or HSEQ procedures.

About VIKING Saatsea

VIKING Saatsea is a joint venture with leading marine and offshore safety equipment and service provider VIKING Life-Saving Equipment. It provides a unique onboard training and administration platform to help ship and offshore asset owners and operators improve their training capability. The advanced platform helps the company’s customers to avoid the delays, exposures to liability and financial losses that can result from inefficient, outdated solutions to the issue of maritime competency management and training.

About VIKING

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment is a global market leader in maritime and offshore safety, providing and servicing safety and fire-fighting equipment for passenger and cargo ships, offshore installations, fishing vessels, the navy, fire departments and leisure yachts.

VIKING is a privately held corporation founded in 1960 with group headquarters in Esbjerg, Denmark. Products are manufactured in Denmark, Norway,Bulgaria and Thailand. VIKING offers a broad range of off-the-shelf and tailored safety solutions and systems certified in accordance with the latest requirements of the IMO, SOLAS, EU and USCG.

The product portfolio includes chute and slide-based marine and offshore evacuation and crew transfer systems, liferafts, lifejackets, immersion suits, fire suits, work suits, pilot suits, helicopter transportation suits, MOB boats, davits, pilot ladders, signs, and other lifesaving appliances. VIKING Shipowner and Offshore safety Agreements offer uniquely customizable concepts that incorporate safety products, global servicing, single-source management, and financing in a variety of fixed price structures.

With 2,000 employees worldwide, the unique VIKING network of branch offices, agents, 260 certified servicing stations and worldwide stock points makes VIKING a truly global provider at convenient locations in all significant markets.