Congratulations to Hovertravel, who today were announced winners of The Seafarers’ Charity 2023 Safety Drill Competition.
A cheque for £500 was presented by Deborah Layde, Chief Executive at The Seafarers’ Charity, which Hovertravel have decided to donate to their chosen charity – a new organisation working with Ryde Town Council and raising money to make the beautiful Ryde Beach more accessible for all, including wheelchair users.
Well-rehearsed passenger evacuation drill
Hovertravel’s crew demonstrated a well-rehearsed passenger evacuation drill and showed how they efficiently evacuated passengers with limited mobility to safety.
The judging panel highlighted how interesting it was to see a commercial aircraft style of drill with safety briefings and demonstrations adapted to a marine operation.
Layde: Congratulations to all of you
Deborah Layde summed up her feelings about presenting the prize,
“It has been a pleasure to meet the crews working at Hovertravel today and seeing how their crew look after hundreds of passengers and keep them safe during this unique crossing from Portsmouth to Isle of Wight every day.
“We were delighted when we heard that the crew at Hovertravel wanted to donate their £500 prize to a charity which is improving accessibility to the beach. Congratulations to all of you!”
The Seafarers’ Charity ran the Safety Drill Competition during Maritime Safety Week. All types of vessels take part and show us their muster safety drill.
Entries were judged, from fishing vessels to cargo ships and passenger ferries. Many of the crews found that through practice they were able to improve their drill time, which in a real emergency at sea, could help save lives.
Well done to the crew at Hovertravel.
