Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important benefits to choose Safeway gangways above other suppliers?

The flexibility of the Safeway gangway system to serve a wide range of prepared and unprepared landing locations combined with the client orientated and flexible service approach of the Van Aalst Group.

How many degrees of freedom can the Safeway gangway system compensate?

Safeway gangway is the only system in the market that can compensate all 6 degrees of freedom of the vessel. Through Safeway’s unique hover mode no external force is required to maintain the gangway tip in the right position. The Safeway Seagull operates with 4 actuators; luffing, slewing, telescoping and roll compensation.

What kind of workability limits can be expected using Safeway Seagull installed on a PSV?

Safeway Seagull is designed for Hs=3,5 m installed on a 75 m length PSV with 18 m beam.

What is needed to install the Safeway Seagull on an aft deck?

At Safeway we use a standard grillage made of H-beams which transfers operational loads into the ship structure. The gangway footprint is approx. 5,5 x 6 mand the grillage is slightly larger to cover sufficient web frames underneath. The grillage is welded on deck and the Safeway Seagull is bolted onto the grillage. Within one day the installation can be done(Plug & Play on pre-installed grillage).

Why does having a roll compensator make such a difference in the performance?

Vessel roll motions are compensated by telescoping motions in the gangway. Telescoping also compensates the vessel DP footprint. This is the most limiting actuator of the gangway with its maximum stroke length. Higher landing points will see larger translations so commonly workability reduces with higher gangway elevations. By compensating the roll, theSafeway workability remains the same, irrespective of the landingheight.

Why is Safeway Seagull low in its power consumption?

The gangway is mechanically balanced plus the roll compensator reduces the luffing, slewing and telescoping motions. The higher compensation capacity furthermore allows for more relaxed DP settings which results in lower fuel consumption on the vessel propulsion system.

Are Safeway gangways also for sale?

The Safeway Seagull is developed for easy retrofitting on existing ships. Safeway operates a rental fleet of 7 units for spot market walk-to-work jobs.For long-term requirements Safeway is willing to consider the sale of a Safeway Seagull system. Safeway Osprey and Safeway Gannet type of gangways are more permanently installed units which are exclusively for sale.

When renting a Safeway system, what kind of operational support can you provide?

The asset management tasks of the rental fleet units are part of Safeway’s internal scope. Every unit will be delivered fit-for-purpose. Safeway has a3-tier system in place to assure the system’s availability. 1-tier is the operator onboard, knowledgeable on hydraulic and electric systems. Operator is responsible for daily maintenance and inspections. In case of a failure the operator will perform the fault finding exercise.

When buying a Safeway system, what kind of operational support can you provide?

Safeway has aService Level Agreement (SLA) in place which establishes the operational tasks the client want to outsource. This may cover periodically inspections, stock keeping of parts and components, 24/7service desk with remote access, operational performance reporting and 5-yearly survey (Class requirement).

Can Safeway systems handle cargo transfer through trolleys?

Safeway has developed the Safeway Gannet type purposely for use of trolleys. The demand for trolleys is driven by the offshore renewable market and the Safeway Gannet is dedicated to the SOV newbuilt market. TheSafeway Gannet is derived from the Safeway Seagull, but with a single access deck. In its lowest parking position up to 5 trolleys can enter from the elevator and once in position at the turbine deployed through the gangway. The Safeway Gannet acts as an access elevator.

What is the load handling capacity of Safeway when no trolleys are used?

Safeway has a tip hoist of 1000 kg capacity which acts as a fully 3D compensated crane(hover mode).

How many transfers are safely done by Safeway gangways to date?

Since 2017 Safeway has performed over 200.000 safe transfers worldwide. The system is capable of transferring 200 persons in 16 minutes, so the actual number of transfers is largely impacted by specific characterisation of the job.

Does Safeway have an agent in Taiwan?

Safeway has a worldwide, and rapidly expanding agency network. For Taiwan the head office in The Netherlands takes the lead.

How often doesSafeway has to change bumpering blocks?

During landingSafeway gangways are not physically touching the offshore structure or wind turbine, so no use of bumpering blocks which results in cost reduction.

Still have questions? Contact our sales team or get in touch now.