Escape Chute ECS66 Cantalivered Chute MES System

RSS are a Houston based safety company who manufacture and supply a comprehensive range of on/offshore escape chute systems. In 2005 RSS developed an extensive range of fully integrated escape chute systems for fixed and variable height applications and to date have over 200 MES systems operational offshore globally for all major owner, operators. RSS are constantly developing new systems and utilizing new technologies designed to enhance safety of life at sea.

Our IECS66 is the same system as our deck mounted ECS65, however the difference is that we add a purpose built skid assembly and cantilever frame to enable the system to be overhung the side of the vessel, this is useful when there is no drop to sea level under the deck or if the vessel has a hull such as an FPSO/FSO/Drill Ship, the IECS66 is ideal for enabling the ECS65 Chute system to be cantilevered. An additional benefit is that we are also able to mount a heavy duty front mounted life raft cradle that becomes fully integrated with our ECS-65 chute system.

The pictures above pictures show a system with qty 3 x 36 man rafts this was for Subsea 7 and a system with qty 2 x 50 man rafts that we supplied eight systems to Exxon Mobil Kizomba A & B FPSO’s offshore Angola in 2008, these are still in operation and have provided tremendous service and reliability.

offer is called the ECS-65, this is a small free fall deck mounted chute system supplied with a fully integrated netted Kevlar V450 Zig-Zag chute, 30 person self inflating boarding raft and weight stabilization plate to keep the chute column vertical at all times. The system can be integrated with deck mounted life rafts by connecting there painter lines to the ECS-65 internal boarding raft.

ECS-65 Chute Container Comprises of the following :

Purpose built 58”W x 58”D x 62”H Deck Mountable Chute Container with upper lid for access to the chute system and lower trap door for rapid deployment by means of a stainless steel control arm, lift the chute container lid turn the deployment arm 90 degrees and the chute system deploys to sea, suitable for heights not exceeding 55 meters.

ECS- 65 is a free fall system requiring no electrical, hydraulics or pneumatics for its operation, thus reducing the risk of failure to the lowest possible levels.

ECS can be deck mounted on any vessel that has a clear uninterrupted drop to sea level below the chute installation location, If a Cantilevered system is required please visit our IECS66-66 page.

ECS-65 requires no welding as it is designed to drop into the customer supplied deck cut out and sits in place under its structural 4” top support rim making for ease of installation.

The ECS-65 uses the RSS V450 Chute which is a Kevlar Micro Netted chute designed to provide maximum heat flux protection at higher levels for evacuees due to its close knitted Kevlar that provides protection but still allows evacuees to see out of the chute. The chute is a variable height Zig-Zag chute providing fast and reliable descent under all offshore conditions.

A Survitec/Zodiac 30 person boarding raft is fitted below the chute and automatically inflates as it reaches sea level providing the interface between the boarding raft and main raft, survival craft or support vessel for rescue of evacuees that have descend the chute and require rescuing, deck mounted life rafts can be fitted and there painter lines connect to the 30 person self inflating boarding raft that is fitted inside the chute container, deploy the thrown over raft to seas then deploy the chute system, the boarding raft auto inflates and the main life rafts are now connected to

the boarding raft awaiting recovery and inflation at sea level.

A weighted stabilization weight is fitted to the ECS 65 Chute System and provides the desired weight to hold the chute column vertical at all times during the evacuation, the stabilization weight is attached to the chute system by way of qty 4 x 15400Ib Kevlar support ropes that are anchored inside the chute container and are attached to the main chute at the top center and base of the chute, the four ropes then go through the boarding raft that is modified for RSS by Survitec to enable the ropes to enter and exit the raft in the center, this provides the variable height and enables the chute and boarding raft to rise or lower dependent on the wind and wave action, the ropes are connect to the stabilization weight that sits below the water line at 15ft and is weighted based on customer supplied met-ocean data based on the 100 year return, RSS enter these figures into our model that tells us what weight is required to hold the chute column vertical for that specific application and geographical location.

By adding the purpose built Skid Assembly and Cantilever frame the system becomes our IECS66 and has the following added :

• Purpose built Cantilever 4.572 m frame designed to mount the RSS 2.133m x 2.133m Skid Assembly

• Optional Front Mounted Integrated Life Raft Cradle suitable for up to qty 3 x 50 man life rafts

• Extends the ECS65 chute system over the edge of the deck or location by 2.133m

• Ideal for FPSO’s, Drill Ships, FSO’s or any other vessel where this is not clear drop to sea below deck level

• Supplied with full documentation packs

• Certified inline with customer requirements

• Full training package provided using our unique Train the Trainer Program

• Full On-Site Support from our global network of service stations and agents

• RSS can design bespoke solutions to match each customers needs