New WSS Liferaft Exchange Service Station In Darwin

In Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s (WSS) continued expansion of its liferaft service station network, the company is opening a new Liferaft Exchange (LRE) service station in Darwin, NT. The station will be fully operational from March 2011.

“The Darwin LRE station will be the first for the company in Oceania and and will have a strong focus on servicing vessels associated with the port's significant offshore and oil and gas market,” comments Geoff Brown, General Manager of Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s Australian operations in the Northern Territory and South Australia. “The strategic location of Darwin also means that the station will be well placed to supply and exchange rafts in major resource ports in Australia’s North West, including Dampier, Port Hedland and Broome. As with all our global LREs Wilhelmsen Ships Service will be supplying our own Unitor branded liferaft range to our customers.”

Geoff looks forward to offering customers Liferaft Exchange as an alternative to traditional liferaft ownership. He has worked with the Wilh. Wilhelmsen Group for over 30 years and has extensive experience with marine safety equipment. Liferafts are a personal passion of his. For Geoff his customers' safety is top priority and he understands that having compliant liferafts onboard is a vital part of any offshore operations. He adds, "We can ensure our customers' compliance with due date
monitoring and the fact that rafts can simply be exchanged without delay, even during short stays in port."

Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s LRE program has grown rapidly in popularity as customers recognise the simplicity and convenience of the system. The company’s worldwide network of offices and service stations enables vessels to swap liferafts in every global region.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s Liferaft Rental concept makes pricing predictable for customers through an annual rental fee that makes operational budgeting easier.

As well as liferaft provision, Wilhelmsen Ships Service supplies Unitor marine products, technical services, ships agency services and maritime logistics.