An evacuation situation at sea is always dangerous. However, distress and rescue at sea can be practised beforehand, mastering the right procedures will improve a person's chances of survival.
Meriturva's rescue training unit in Lohja provides safe, controlled conditions for rescue exercises. In Finland's largest indoor pool and on the Ojamo lifeboat dock, rescue training can be practised in authentic, adaptable conditions all year round.
On board ships, rescue and evacuation drills are usually carried out in port in a hurry and are probably the biggest occupational safety risk for the crew today. At Meriturva's Rescue Unit, this is possible because our training hall is equipped with exactly the same equipment used on board ships and our simulators provide realistic, sufficiently challenging conditions for rescue exercises.
You don't have to be a maritime professional to train in the stunning surroundings of the Rescue Training Unit. Our course offerings benefit professional seafarers, boating enthusiasts, helicopter crews and the occasional boater, such as a cruise passenger. Some of the courses are also suitable as a TYKY programme or for building team spirit.
For example, the popularity of the Boater's Lifesaving Course is growing every year. Boat clubs and other boating enthusiasts come to Lohja to improve their safety skills and test the functionality of their own life jackets in a real-life situation.
The Meriturva training hall is an internationally unique facility designed for rescue training. The level of equipment is at the highest level of versatility.
One side of the hall is built into the side of the ship and is equipped with authentic rescue equipment. The training pool is equipped with a wide range of modern equipment. Exercises are carried out in variable weather conditions, under realistic conditions. At the push of a button, the pool can be whipped by the wind, a metre-long wind, rain and darkness.
The size of the pool building is so large that it is easy to get a real feel for the exercises. The large size has made it possible to acquire the latest rescue equipment, as well as to provide equipment-specific training and install evacuation systems.
Our unit has a unique rescue helicopter simulator. The roof-mounted winch helicopter is used to practice rescuing people from the water, from lifeboats and from the deck of a ship.
The Rescue Training Unit is the only one in Finland that also offers the opportunity to learn how to escape from a helicopter that has been forced to land under water (HUET = Helicopter Under Water Escape Training). Our HUET training does not have offshore certification.
In our cold water pool with its six-degree water temperature, you can learn how to protect yourself against hypothermia.
Length 43 m
Width 27 m
Water depth 3,8 m
Water temperature 21 degrees
Training pool effects
Wave size 110 cm (7 different wave types)
Wind (12 wind generators of 6.5 kW each, 80 dB)
Sound effects
Darkness
Training pool equipment
Training levels (1 m, 5 m, 9 m)
Jumping platforms (1 m, 2 m, 4,5 m)
Training level at the end of the pool (depth 1,2 m)
Pairs track (training height 9 m)
Pair of lifting platforms/vertical ladder (training height 9 m)
Rescue helicopter (training height 9 m)
Helicopter making an emergency landing in the water (HUET)
Low water HUET training device (SWET)
High pressure compressor for filling diving equipment
Lifejacket system, Viking (height 9 m)
Crane platform platform and station (height 5 m)
Means of Rescue -taavette equipped with a damper
Means of Rescue raft, for water rescue (lifting height 5 m)
Life raft station for overboard rafts (height 5 m)
SOLAS life rafts, for 6-39 people
Self-acting life rafts, for 4-101 people
Avolauttoja, ORL, for 30-65 people
Aircraft life rafts
Lifeboats for pleasure craft (non-SOLAS)
Purjevene Guy 22
Boat overturning and turning training
Life-saving suits
Life jackets
Climbing net
Rescue boat ladder
Davy-glass for landing in the water/raft
Jason's Cradle
Markus Lifenet
Pilot ladder
Windows for underwater observation and photography along the long sides of the pool
Length 4 m
Width 4 m
Depth 2,5 m
Water temperature 6 degrees
The Meriturvan lifeboat station has been built on the Ojamo mining pond in Lohja. The special feature of the Ojamo lifeboat station is that the lifeboat keel can be tilted 10 degrees in both directions, simulating the tilting of a ship. This makes the training and use of the equipment more challenging and realistic.
The rig is equipped with a flow machine to create a flow that simulates the movement of a ship, making the training more realistic. The Ojamo pond can be kept melted even in winter, so the station can be used for training all year round. The Meriturva's versatile lifeboat fleet is presented in the Boats section.
The Meriturva has four Fast Rescue Boats, a 50-person covered lifeboat, a Free Fall lifeboat and a MOB boat for training purposes.
Fast Rescue Boat Schat-Harding Stinger 760 Jet (vm. 2014)
Manufacturer: Umoe Schat-Harding Equipment AS, Norway
Material: fibreglass
Engine: Bukh Steyr Turbo Diesel 6 cyl, 300 hp
Watercraft: the Alamarine 288 Jet
Dimensions: 7,92 m x 2,88 m
Weight: 3120 kg (6 persons)
Capacity: 6 people
Speed: 35 knots (3 persons)
Approvals: SOLAS, NMD Offshore, CE, EC/MED, DNV
Fast Rescue Boat FRSQ 700A (vm. 2013)
Manufacturer:FAST RSQ, The Netherlands
Material: marine aluminium
Engine: Bukh Steyr Turbo Diesel 6 cyl, 258 hp
Waterway: Hamilton 213
Dimensions: 7,22 m x 2,65 m
Weight: 2100 kg
Capacity: 15 people
Speed: 36 knots (3 persons)
Approvals: SOLAS, CE, EC/MED, Bureau Veritas
Fast Rescue Boat Norsafe Magnum 750 (2003 and 2005)
Manufacturer:Norsafe AS, Norway
Material: fibreglass
Engine: Bukh Steyr Turbo Diesel 6 cyl, 266 hp
Waterway: Hamilton 214
Dimensions: 7,70 m x 2,90 m
Weight: 2000 kg
Capacity: 15 people
Speed: 34 knots (3 persons)
Approvals: SOLAS, CE, EC/MED, DNV
Totally Enclosed Lifeboat Mathilda, Tanker model
Manufacturer:Norsafe AS, Norway
Material: fibreglass
Engine: Sabb, 39 hp
Dimensions: 7,52 m x 2,84 m x 3,12 m
Weight: 3500 kg
Capacity: 50 people
Speed: 6 knots (24 persons)
Free Fall Lifeboat GES 18, Tanker model
Manufacturer:Norsafe AS, Norway
Material: fibreglass
Engine: Sabb, 39 hp
Dimensions: 5,80 m x 2,35 m x 3,00 m
Weight: 3140 kg
Capacity: 23 people
Speed: min. 6 knots (23 persons)
Man Over Board Boat Midget 500 MKII
Manufacturer:Norsafe AS, Norway
Material: fibreglass
Engine: OB 50 HP Yamaha 2 stroke, 50 hp
Dimensions: 5,10 m x 2,07 m
Weight: 650 kg
Capacity: 6 people
Speed: 25 knots
