Paris-based classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has issued a formal review attestation for Survitec’s Seahaven evacuation system.
This confirmed its status as a novel life-saving appliance (LSA) under IMO Resolution A.520(13).
The attestation recognised Seahaven’s position as an innovative safety evacuation solution for high-capacity passenger vessels, such as cruise ships, highlighting a key turning point in maritime safety.
Developed by Survitec, the Seahaven system is designed to evacuate up to 1,060 persons in less than 22 minutes through a fully integrated arrangement of two survival craft and four helical slides.
For the attestation, BV conducted an extensive technical review of Seahaven’s design, documentation, performance testing, and supporting calculations to help ensure compliance with relevant regulations and requirements.
This process included analysis of key design features and performance parameters.
Seahaven’s design allows for rapid boarding via vertical helical slides, which have been rigorously tested with passengers, including infants, children, and individuals with reduced mobility.
Each survival craft has a capacity of 530 persons and is powered by twin SOLAS and MED-approved diesel outboard engines.
Seahaven demonstrated full compliance with evacuation and performance tests, including deployment in heavy weather conditions with sea states equivalent to Beaufort Force 6 and 3 m wave heights.
Matthieu de Tugny, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore President, said, “The Seahaven system introduces a powerful solution for passenger evacuation, meeting evolving maritime safety needs and paving the way for wider adoption.
“Safety is always our first priority. BV is pleased to support stakeholders, like Survitec, to help make sure innovations align with global safety standards,” he said.
Claude Sada, Survitec COO, added, “The endorsement by BV validates years of engineering, operational testing, and consultation with shipowners and yards.
“This attestation is a milestone to broader market readiness. It affirms not just the technical integrity of the system, but its relevance to ship operators who need smarter, safer solutions that reduce complexity and improve survivability,” he said.
The system’s modular footprint allows for flexible installation on both newbuildings and retrofits projects, with a permitted installation height of up to 28 m.
The attestation confirmed the craft’s endurance at 6 knots for 24 hours and the ability to tow a second fully loaded craft at 3 knots. Additional tests validated environmental resilience in both hot and cold extremes.
Survitec has developed extensive training plans, service documentation, and lifecycle support infrastructure to back up Seahaven’s deployment, aligning with SOLAS Regulation III/20 for maintenance and periodic inspection.
BV’s validation of Seahaven’s capabilities follows a study by naval architects Foreship, recently presented at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 in Miami.
This study highlighted the advantages of incorporating Seahaven into cruise ship designs, particularly in improving space utilisation, enhancing cost efficiency, and offering weight benefits.
