gangways and access systems, 650 of which have been delivered worldwide. The totally closed, Freefall boat though did however, spark some interest in Russia, which embraced the idea recognising that totally closed lifeboats were a considerable advantage in sub-zero temperatures to saving lives. However, the Russians also felt it was too early for the Freefall concept.


Several decades on in the eighties there was a significant shift in the industry’s attitude following two major maritime accidents in Norway where there was a considerable loss of life. The Norwegians started to revaluate lifeboats and they turned their attention to the one and only aluminium Freefall boat builder in the world, Verhoef. Originally, the Norwegian Forskning Institute and Maritime Research Department came to the company’s head- quarters in Aalsmeer, outside of Amsterdam, and asked if they could buy the Freefall design from Verhoef.


Joost Verhoef flatly refused. But much to their shock, he said he wouldn’t let them buy it, but they could have it for free. Martin explains that at that time his father believed that he couldn’t make the necessary


investment to develop the concept further but more importantly, from a humanitarian view, he simply did not want to see the design filed in a cabinet when it could be used in the maritime industry to save lives.


Saving lives The Norwegians were only too happy to develop the design and they pressed on but with one big difference – they would build it in fibreglass. Meanwhile, Verhoef was involved keeping up-to-date with how things progressed. Years on, there was another key event, whereby the industry started to take a fresh look at traditional lifeboats lowered by davits and that was the Piper Alpha North Sea oil production disaster in 1988. From then on demand for the Freefall lifeboat gradually grew.


Typically, Verhoef now builds up to 25 vessels a year, all of which are built in the Netherlands and exported all over the world to the major oil companies.


Martin is keen to point out that a vessel built in 1991 for Petrofac Training Institute achieved an important milestone when it was dropped for the 5000th


time. This vessel


highlights the durability of the aluminium- built lifeboat, he stresses, and even though


it has had a hard life it still looks virtually new. The Petrofac lifeboat is back at Verhoef, and proudly shown to visitors and was exhibited at MARIN’s last Open Day.


“Aluminium is very, very strong, light - facilitating speed - and extremely durable. Many of our lifeboats are still going strong 25 years on and they could last for many more years. Their duration is enormous. Aluminium is simply the only material suited for dropping freefall, rather than lowering by wires.”


Tremendous durability More recently, another significant event in lifeboat design would make the offshore industry consider the advantages of the aluminium Freefall vessel.


report 7


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