Chile Safety & Liferaft Service Station Open For Business
Marking an important milestone in the growth of the company’s operations in the South America region, Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s new West Coast South America Safety and Liferaft Service Stations in Valparaiso, Chile have become fully operational. The company is already certified to service its own brand of Unitor RFD liferafts, so the Liferaft Service station can start the inspection and servicing of this brand immediately.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service will also be acquiring certification from other leading liferaft brands. At the same location the company’s Fire Rescue and Safety station (FRS) has also opened and will distribute the company’s range of safety products and services, which include firefighting equipment, liferafts, lifejackets and survival suits. A carbon dioxide system is also in place at the station where qualified Wilhelmsen Ships Service technicians offer the refilling of carbon dioxide cylinders, as well as cylinder hydrotesting, painting and certifying.
Approved Station
The brand new stations are certified to work under the Wilhelmsen umbrella approval for IACS (International Association of Classified Societies), so the company will also be listed on the ISO certification as an approved station. Henrique Schlaepfer, Area South America Director, Wilhelmsen Ships Service, commented on the new locations: “Our new stations in Chile will respond to the unmistakable growth of trade that we are seeing in the South America region. This vital service is now in place to respond to the upturn in the industry.”