30 years without work-related incidents – ESVAGT vessel reaches notable milestone

On Sunday, February 21st, the ‘Esvagt Preserver’ reaches 30 years of operation without a single severe work-related incident. Approach and company culture are crucial.

It is a significant anniversary that ESVAGT celebrates this Sunday, February 21st, as the standby vessel ‘Esvagt Preserver’ reaches 30 years of operation in the North Sea without a single leave of absence due to a work-related incident – what is commonly known as LTI in the industry.

The vessel, which has been working for Maersk Oil/Total during all 30 years, started its contract in 1991 – before Denmark won the European Football Championship, and while the Warsaw Pact still existed.

‘The ‘Esvagt Preserver’ has throughout all 30 years proven that a strong safety culture is the most important element in ensuring a safe workplace’, says DCEO Kristian Ole Jakobsen, ESVAGT:

‘This performance is further enhanced by the fact that the ‘Esvagt Preserver’ has been busy during all 30 years. The vessel has not only operated as standby vessel, but has versatilely solved many contract-related service tasks. A careful guess would be that 25,000 personnel transfers have been completed with our customer’s employees thanks to our specially designed FRBs (ESVAGT Fast Rescue Boats) over the past 30 years – professionally, competently and safely – every time!’ he says.

Lives and breathes safety

The customer Total also shares their respect and acknowledgement for this achievement.

‘ESVAGT has proven a commitment and dedication 24/7/365 to maintain a strong safety culture onboard. A culture that ensures everyone goes home safely to their families’, says Sven Dalehaug, Head of Marine, Geomatics and Underwater at Total:

‘The ‘Esvagt Preserver’s achievement is a direct result of what it means to live and breathe safety – every single day. We have a very good and strong working relation with the vessel and ESVAGT, and this achievement is proof that open door philosophy and good integration of team ESVAGT and team Total can make exceptional results together’, he says.

A Group 3 vessel such as the ‘Esvagt Preserver’ typically has two seven-men crews working three-week shifts.

With the staff change that naturally occurs over 30 years, ESVAGT estimates that close to 100 different colleagues have worked onboard the ‘Esvagt Preserver’:

‘A ship is only as good as its crew’, says Asger Stürtzel Sørensen, Head of HSE at ESVAGT:

‘One has to acknowledge the many good colleagues that have sailed on the ‘Esvagt Preserver’ over the past 30 years for integrating the safety culture and dedication into their very core’, he says.