Survitec joins the cluster

With deep roots in the local industry and a strong commitment to the future through its Seahaven system, the company contributes valuable expertise to the cluster’s collaborative community.

Survitec has grown through mergers and acquisitions. Two important predecessors are Wilhelmsen Safety, owned by the Wilhelmsen shipping group, and Brude Safety, a company with deep roots in protecting seafarers.

Brude Safety takes its name from Ole Brude, a Norwegian pioneer who, already in the early 1900s, experimented with enclosed lifeboats. His most famous design, often referred to as the “Brude Egg,” is on display at the Ålesund Museum at Grimmerhaugen.

“It is absolutely remarkable that Ole Brude sailed this craft across the Atlantic to the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904,” says Jan Eskil Hollen, Managing Director for Survitec Nordic, headquartered in Ålesund.

He believes the Brude story gives a strong identity to Survitec’s presence in Ålesund — the local environment has deep maritime roots, and Survitec carries with it both history and forward-looking ambition.

Believes in the value beyond each individual company

Hollen emphasizes that their membership in GCE Blue Maritime is about active engagement.

We have great respect for the competence, innovation power and collaboration within the maritime cluster. For us, this membership is about being part of an ecosystem that is constantly evolving and creating value far beyond each individual company.

“We want to learn from others while sharing our own experience within safety, maintenance and life-saving solutions. GCE Blue Maritime provides a structured and professional arena where this can happen.” This includes the possibilities within joint projects, R&D collaboration and network-building with suppliers and customers across the region.

Locally rooted — with growing ambitions

“We have developed a service station for marine evacuation systems here, and we will begin final assembly of these systems in Ålesund in 2026.”

This will mean increased employment, a stronger competence environment and even closer connections to other maritime actors in the region.

Seahaven – where safety meets innovation

One of Survitec’s most exciting focus areas is Seahaven, the company’s innovative evacuation system designed specifically for passenger vessels and cruise ships. Seahaven integrates elements from aviation, defense, and maritime safety technology to create a modern, efficient solution.

According to a study referenced by Survitec, Seahaven offers significant benefits: it frees up valuable deck space, reduces weight, and provides design flexibility—opening new opportunities for shipyards and operators in vessel design and passenger experience.

Bureau Veritas has issued a formal attestation review for Seahaven as a new Life Saving Appliance (LSA), strengthening the system’s legitimacy and credibility in the global market. Seahaven can evacuate up to 1,060 people in 22 minutes—within SOLAS requirements—and the technology minimizes the need for manual intervention.

For Survitec, this is not only a technological breakthrough but also a key competitive advantage. Hollen emphasizes that they view the cruise sector positively — one with high safety standards and significant opportunities for collaboration. This contrasts with the public debate about cruise traffic in Norwegian cities, where negative aspects like environmental wear, emissions, and infrastructure strain often take center stage. Hollen aims to add more nuance to the discussion.

For us, cruise is an important part of our business. It creates activity, jobs and innovation, and it is an industry that sets exceptionally high standards for safety — something we naturally view very favourably.

Combined with technologies such as Seahaven, Survitec is well positioned to play an active role in making cruise operations even safer and giving ship designers greater freedom and flexibility in the use of space on board.