It all began in 1985, when the Danish company Esvagt developed the safety baskets. Since 2014, the Safe Transfer Basket name has been owned and operated by the company West-Marine A/S, where CEO Carsten Larsen is proud of a safety product with a history in a class of its own.
The Safe Transfer Basket is used to transport employees in the offshore industry between oil and gas platforms and ships in a way that ensures that no one gets hurt. Safety is high in most parts of the world, but unfortunately that is not the case everywhere. There are other baskets where the workers stand or directly cling to the outside of the net. Things can go wrong – but not with the Safe Transfer Basket.
- After more than 35 years in the industry, we can say that our customers have not experienced a single accident associated with our safety basket, says Carsten Larsen.
Today, there are several versions of the Safe Transfer Basket made for both four and eight standing people. The latest addition to the Safe Transfer Basket line is a seat for one to four people, who are also secured with a safety belt. This model is the only one in the world to have Norwegian NORSOK approval.
Here, as in the other Safe Transfer Basket models, the safety is double. The basket is lifted in a sling that is attached to a bucket, but there is also a compensator that sits in another bucket. Should either sling or compensator break, the basket will be able to hang from one of them alone.
The NORSOK-approved model can even float in water at knee height.
Worldwide service
Although Safe Transfer Basket has been on the North Sea since the 1980s, the safety baskets have an exceptionally long lifespan.
- We receive baskets for service that are both 20 and 30 years old, says Carsten Larsen, who recommends that the baskets be serviced once a year. Even when it comes to servicing, the baskets are designed to be found almost everywhere in the world.
- There are over 15 service centers all over the world, so our customers can have their Safe Transfer Basket checked and serviced in all parts of the world, such as Central America and Southeast Asia, says the director about the baskets, which do not need to come to Esbjerg when they need servicing.
The handmade quality
However, the director is by no means the only one who is proud of the Safe Transfer Basket, because at the workshop in the port of Esbjerg, 76-year-old seine tyer Jørn Karlsen works full time both manufacturing and servicing the ropes in the baskets. He has settled in well with his work at West-Marine after having been a fisherman for 44 years, Jørn completed his training as a seine tyer in 1964 before fishing.
- It has to be an A-product when you work with human life, as we do. One complaint is one too many, and we have none of those, says Jørn Karlsen, who is happy with his work and will continue with it as long as his health lasts.
Jørn Karlsen's handshake indicates that he will be working for the company for many years to come.
Safe Transfer Basket is already prepared for the future, because there are still oil and gas companies around the world that are interested in very high security.
- We also offer both leasing and rental agreements. And when you look at our total cost of ownership, we are absolutely competitive, says the director, who also sees other future uses for the product offshore.
- We see great opportunities in connection with the green transition with more wind turbines. There are already cranes on the large offshore wind turbines, so the Safe Transfer Basket can also be used here, says Carsten Larsen about an opportunity to avoid offshore workers having to climb onto the TPs on a ladder from a boat.
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