SAFETY FIRST – IRRAWADDY VOYAGES
We have a 100% commitment to both onboard and onshore safety.
An extensive Safety Management System (SMS) was commissioned by Irrawaddy Voyages in 2016, with a Singapore based Marine Safety Assessment Consultancy.
This SMS is reviewed each year at the commencement of each cruising season.
Our extensive SMS manual has been translated into Burmese and placed in the Wheelhouse and Purser’s Bureau onboard each of the four Irrawaddy Voyages vessels.
The Ships Captains and crew receive practical hands-on training each season. The Captains of each vessel, alongside the designated Ships Safety Officer, are responsible for implementing one of nine international Safety Drills during each voyage.
All male & female crews have received theoretical and practical training in the following emergency situations. The systems adopted by Irrawaddy Voyages meet international safety standards.
- Man Overboard
- Abandon Ship
- Fire Onboard
- High & Dry (Grounding)
- Collision
- Sinking Ship
- Black Out Drills
- Emergency Steering Drill
- Medivac
International SOS
In order to provide the most comprehensive and up to date guest and crew medical services, we contract INTERNATIONAL SOS for our specialist medical advice throughout the year. Their medical specialists are on call 24/7.
All Ship’s crews have been trained by the Myanmar Red Cross for First Aid training and have been certified upon successfully completing their training course.
The most modern safety equipment apparatus are positioned throughout each vessel and located in strategic locations to comply with the SMS.
SOLAS
The SOLAS Convention is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.
The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. Flag States are responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with its requirements and a number of certificates are prescribed in the Convention as proof that this has been done.
Construction - stability, machinery and electrical installations
The subdivision of passenger ships into watertight compartments must be such that after assumed damage to the ship's hull the vessel will remain afloat and stable. Requirements for watertight integrity and bilge pumping arrangements for passenger ships are also laid down as well as stability requirements for both passenger and cargo ships.
The degree of subdivision - measured by the maximum permissible distance between two adjacent bulkheads - varies with ship's length and the service in which it is engaged. The highest degree of subdivision applies to passenger ships.
Requirements covering machinery and electrical installations are designed to ensure that services which are essential for the safety of the ship, passengers and crew are maintained under various emergency conditions.
Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
Includes detailed fire safety provisions for all ships and specific measures for passenger ships, cargo ships and tankers.
They include the following principles: division of the ship into main and vertical zones by thermal and structural boundaries; separation of accommodation spaces from the remainder of the ship by thermal and structural boundaries; restricted use of combustible materials; detection of any fire in the zone of origin; containment and extinction of any fire in the space of origin; protection of the means of escape or of access for fire-fighting purposes; ready availability of fire-extinguishing appliances; minimization of the possibility of ignition of flammable cargo vapour.
Life-saving Appliances
This includes requirements for life-saving appliances and arrangements, including requirements for life boats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements for LSAs and is mandatory under Regulation 34, which states that all life-saving appliances and arrangements shall comply with the applicable requirements of the LSA Code.
Radio Communications
This incorporates the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). All passenger ships and all cargo ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards on international voyages are required to carry equipment designed to improve the chances of rescue following an accident, including satellite emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and search and rescue transponders (SARTs) for the location of the ship or survival craft.
Regulations cover the undertakings by contracting governments to provide radio communication services as well as ship requirements for carriage of radio communications equipment. This is closely linked to the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union.
Onboard Hygiene
Fresh Water
The fresh water tanks are filled using river water. The fresh water is then pumped and treated by an onboard water-purification system. At this stage, water is safe for showers & bathing, but we advise guests this is not ‘potable’ and therefore (for safety reasons) not for consumption.
We provide unlimited bottled drinking water for guests and crew at all times.
Galley (Kitchen) Food Hygiene
All freshly sourced fruits and vegetables are cleaned using clean fresh water and a food cleaning agent. This ensures that all market fresh organic produce is safe for consumption.
All Chefs and galley (kitchen) staff wear Chefs hats or hair-nets. They also wear latex food preparation gloves at all times when handling all produce.
We provide antibacterial automatic hand-sanitizers at the entrance to the restaurants for both guests and crew to freely use.
We adopt the food preparation practice of FIFO. This refers to refrigerated items which are dated as they enter the fridges. FIFO means ‘First In First Out’ ensuring the produce is as fresh as possible and consumed each day.
Within the galleys we use DIVERSEY cleaning products which are internationally accepted and approved in areas of food hygiene.
Our Executive Chefs are Western trained and qualified. They maintain an ongoing quality assurance (QA) program, overseeing the junior Chefs and apprentices.
SEA CHEFS
Irrawaddy Voyages has appointed the internationally renowned SEA CHEFS to support our onboard operations. This involves a combination of local Burmese Head Chefs and Ships Managers, supported by overseas (mostly European) Sea Chefs managers & consultants.
ISO (International Organization of Standardization)
During the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of our vessels, we firstly seek to purchase products and items that are ISO approved. These include equipment, fixtures and fittings in the wheelhouse, engine room, galley, housekeeping, food and beverage departments.
