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Safety — Survitec Life Rafts

Survitec Life Rafts | Mercer Yachting Malta

Authorised Survitec Distributor for Malta. ISO 9650 coastal and offshore for private yachts, SOLAS Pack A/B throwover and davit-launched for commercial yachts — supplied and serviced through Mercer's Marsaskala desk.

Mercer Yachting Safety Survitec Life Rafts
Authorised Survitec Distributor — Malta

Survitec life rafts, supplied and supported from Marsaskala

Mercer Yachting is the Authorised Survitec Distributor for Malta, covering the full life-raft catalogue: Leisure ISO 9650, SOLAS Pack A/B throwover, davit-launched rafts and Hammar HRUs. Select inventory at Marsaskala for urgent dispatch; non-stock SKUs ship from Survitec UK.

ISO 9650-1 / -2
Type 1 offshore & Type 2 coastal compliance
SOLAS A & B
Pack configurations for commercial yachts
4 — 150 person
Capacity range across throwover line
Marsaskala
Stock held in Malta for urgent calls

Why Mercer for Survitec in Malta

Survitec is the world's largest manufacturer of marine survival equipment with a 580+ approved service-station network globally. As Authorised Distributor for Malta, Mercer handles supply, certificates (Type Approval, MED Module B, USCG, Transport Canada) and HRU pairing for container-mounted units.

Mercer does not yet operate an in-house Survitec service station — annual servicing is coordinated through Survitec-approved partner stations across the Med. On-island capability is on the 2026 roadmap.

How to choose

A short decision tree before you specify

Six questions decide which Survitec product family is right for the yacht. Run them in order, then send vessel particulars for a quoted configuration.

1. Charter status?

Private / pleasure yacht — ISO 9650 Type 1 (offshore) or Type 2 (coastal) is normally sufficient.

Commercial yacht (charter) — SOLAS-approved rafts required, Pack A or B depending on operating area.

2. Passage type?

Coastal Med (rarely >60 nm from safe haven): ISO 9650-2 covers the baseline. Many owners still upgrade to Type 1 for the extra pack contents.

Offshore passages (Atlantic, Indian Ocean, ARC): ISO 9650-1 minimum private; SOLAS Pack A commercial.

3. Pack A or Pack B?

Pack A — full ocean-going emergency kit (extended water, rations, pyrotechnics, fishing kit). Required for unrestricted-service commercial yachts.

Pack B — limited-service / short international voyage pack. Common on commercial yachts inside defined limited-service areas.

4. How does the raft launch?

Throwover — manual deployment from deck, suits yachts up to ~24 m. Drop height up to 46 m per Survitec spec.

Davit-launched — boarded on deck before launch, lowered hydraulically. Standard on larger commercial yachts; self-righting variants in 25-37 person.

5. Capacity sizing

Start with max persons-on-board the yacht is licensed for. Most flag-states require total raft capacity to meet or exceed that figure; yacht managers commonly add a ~10% redundancy margin. For Malta-flagged commercial yachts the CYC is the governing instrument.

6. Valise or container?

Valise: lightweight soft case, stows in a cockpit locker — smaller leisure yachts.

Container (GRP / ABS): weatherproof, deck-cradle or davit-mounted, paired with a Hammar HRU. Standard on SOLAS installations.

At a glance

Survitec life raft range — comparison

Five Survitec product families cover the whole private-and-commercial yacht spectrum.

Category Certification Capacity Format Typical use
ISO 9650 Coastal ISO 9650-2 (Type 2) 4 — 12 person Valise or container Private yachts, inshore / coastal Med
ISO 9650 Offshore ISO 9650-1 (Type 1) 4 — 12 person Valise or container Private yachts, offshore passages
SOLAS Pack A throwover SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / TC 4 — 150 person GRP container (round, low-profile or XTREM) Commercial yachts, ocean / unrestricted service
SOLAS Pack B throwover SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / TC 4 — 150 person GRP container (round, low-profile or XTREM) Commercial yachts, limited-service area
Davit-launched SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / TC; Pack A or B 12, 16, 20, 25, 37 person (58 — 207 kg per raft) MK10 / MK14 cylindrical or flat-pack container Larger commercial yachts; self-righting variants 25 / 35 / 37 person

Source: survitecgroup.com — Maritime Liferafts (verified May 2026). Capacity sizes and container formats taken directly from each Survitec category page; see per-category sections below for source links.

Category 1 of 5

ISO 9650 Coastal life rafts (Type 2)

For inshore / coastal Mediterranean private yachts. Approved to ISO 9650-2 Type 2.

Survitec Leisure ISO Liferaft — ISO 9650-2 Type 2

Survitec product line · also available as Eurovinil OceanDry 9650 (group brand)

The Leisure ISO line covers both Type 2 (coastal) and Type 1 (offshore). For coastal Mediterranean private cruising — Sicily, Sardinia, Balearics, Croatia, the Aegean — Type 2 meets the regulatory baseline. Available in valise or container with side handles.

Certification
ISO 9650-2 (Type 2 — coastal)
Capacity sizes
4, 6, 8, 10, 12 person
Container options
Valise (soft case) or container with side handles
Service interval
Three years (Survitec extended interval, Leisure ISO line)
Pack option
<24 hour emergency pack
Specified by
Most EU flag-states for non-commercial registration of pleasure craft

Features (per Survitec Leisure ISO Liferaft datasheet)

  • Polyurethane-coated fabric, corrosion and abrasion resistant
  • High-volume water pockets, insulated floor, semi-rigid boarding ramp
  • Orange high-visibility canopy with retro-reflective panels
  • Vacuum-packed for prolonged durability

Source: survitecgroup.com — Leisure ISO Liferafts · OceanDry 9650 Liferaft

Category 2 of 5

ISO 9650 Offshore life rafts (Type 1)

For private yachts on offshore passages — Atlantic crossings, Indian Ocean, ARC. ISO 9650-1 Type 1 baseline.

Survitec Leisure ISO Liferaft — ISO 9650-1 Type 1

Survitec product line · same family as the Coastal raft, Type 1 pack & specification

Same platform certified to ISO 9650-1 rather than -2. Type 1 carries pack contents and stability margins for sustained offshore exposure. Owners crossing Biscay, running the ARC, or transiting Med-to-Caribbean should specify Type 1 even where the flag-state would permit Type 2.

Certification
ISO 9650-1 (Type 1 — offshore)
Capacity sizes
4, 6, 8, 10, 12 person
Container options
Valise or container with side handles
Service interval
Three years (Survitec extended interval)
Pack options
>24 hour emergency pack, or SOLAS B-style pack on request
Specified by
Owners on offshore passages; many EU flag-states for >60 nm coastal-to-offshore endorsements

Type 1 vs Type 2

  • Same construction as Type 2 — polyurethane-coated fabric, insulated floor
  • Larger pack contents for >24 hour autonomy
  • Compatible with Hammar H20 HRU when container-mounted on deck

Source: survitecgroup.com — Leisure ISO Liferafts

Category 3 of 5

SOLAS Pack A life rafts (commercial — ocean service)

For commercial yachts on ocean / unrestricted-service voyages. Full SOLAS emergency kit, default for charter yachts operating outside limited-service zones.

Survitec Throwover Liferaft — SOLAS Pack A

Survitec / SurvitecZodiac / RFD Surviva MK4 product line

The throwover line — RFD Surviva MK4 and SurvitecZodiac branding depending on SKU — is housed in a GRP container. Pack A is the full SOLAS emergency configuration for ocean voyaging.

Certification
SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / Transport Canada / UK Red
Capacity sizes
4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25 up to 150 person
Container formats
Round, Low Profile Container (LPC), XTREM (compact)
Drop height
Up to 46 m (per Survitec spec)
Deployment
Manual throw overboard, ~1 minute
Self-righting
No — see Self-Righting throwover / davit lines

Features (per Survitec Throwover Liferaft page)

  • Double-skinned high-visibility canopy, retro-reflective tape, LED interior light
  • Insulated floor; high-volume water pockets for inflation stability
  • Equipment packs sealed in watertight bags inside the raft
  • Service intervals: annually or every 30 months depending on flag and pack

Source: survitecgroup.com — Throwover Liferafts

Category 4 of 5

SOLAS Pack B life rafts (commercial — limited service)

Same Survitec throwover platform as Pack A, with the smaller Pack B emergency contents — for commercial yachts inside SOLAS-defined limited-service / short international voyage areas.

Survitec Throwover Liferaft — SOLAS Pack B

Survitec / SurvitecZodiac / RFD Surviva MK4 product line · Pack B configuration

The raft itself is identical to the Pack A unit; only the emergency pack contents differ. Pack B is sized for short voyages and limited-service operating areas — common on central-Mediterranean charter yachts that stay within defined coastal corridors.

Certification
SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / Transport Canada (Pack B configuration)
Capacity sizes
6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25 person and up
Use case
Commercial yachts on SOLAS short international or limited-service voyages
Service intervals
Annually or every 30 months depending on flag

Pack B vs Pack A — what differs

  • Reduced ration of drinking water and food (sized for short-voyage exposure)
  • Smaller pyrotechnics and first-aid pack
  • Same raft, canopy, ballast, ramp and HRU compatibility as Pack A

Source: survitecgroup.com — Throwover Liferafts · pack contents are governed by the IMO LSA Code, not by Survitec; we publish pack composition only as confirmed on the Survitec datasheet for the SKU you order.

Category 5 of 5

Davit-launched life rafts (larger commercial yachts)

Where total persons-on-board exceeds what a manual throwover sensibly handles, the davit-launched system lowers the raft pre-loaded with passengers — materially safer for elderly guests, children and crew evacuating injured persons. Standard on commercial yachts above ~500 GT.

Survitec Davit Launch Liferaft

Survitec / SurvitecZodiac / RFD Surviva MK4 product line · MK10 / MK14 cylindrical container

Cylindrical GRP container on a dedicated davit. Crew board on deck, the davit lowers the raft with passengers inside, and a release frees it from the falls once afloat. MK14 is the current standard container; MK10 remains on older installations. Self-righting davit variants available in 25, 35 and 37-person sizes.

Certification
SOLAS / MED Module B / USCG / Transport Canada
Capacity sizes
12, 16, 20, 25, 37 person
Weight
From 58 kg (12-person) to 207 kg (37-person)
Container options
MK10 cylindrical, MK14 cylindrical, flat-pack container
Pack options
SOLAS Pack A or Pack B
Drop height (in extremis)
Up to 46 m (manual deployment if davit fails) — Survitec spec
Self-righting variants
25, 35, 37 person — separate Self-Righting Davit line
Self-righting drop height
Up to 36 m (Self-Righting Davit Launch line — Survitec datasheet)

Features (per Survitec Davit Launch Liferaft page)

  • Stackable container options to free deck space
  • Boarding from deck before lowering — preferred for commercial passenger evacuation
  • Double-skinned canopy with LED light and retro-reflective tape
  • SOLAS Pack A or Pack B configurable per voyage profile
  • Pairs with Hammar H20 HRU for emergency auto-release

Source: survitecgroup.com — Davit Launch Liferafts · Davit Launched Self-Righting Liferafts

Malta CYC compliance

Life-raft requirements for Malta-flagged commercial yachts

For yachts flagged under the Malta Commercial Yacht Code (MCYC), the life-raft specification is set by the CYC and enforced by Transport Malta. Mercer handles equipment (Survitec supply, certificate package, HRU pairing) and — through the Malta Desk — the flag administration side.

Mercer's CYC desk + Survitec supply, in one workflow

The CYC sets minimum life-raft capacity proportional to maximum persons-on-board, governs raft pack contents (Pack A vs Pack B based on operating area), and dictates servicing intervals. Mercer coordinates this with the yacht's flag-registration paperwork so equipment, certificate package and Transport Malta documentation arrive in the same window — and the next annual service is calendared from day one.

Read the Mercer Malta Commercial Yacht (MCYC) registration guide →

Servicing

Annual life-raft servicing — coordinated, not in-house

A life raft is only as compliant as its last service certificate. Mercer is transparent about the model.

How Mercer handles your annual service

Mercer Yachting does not yet operate an in-house Survitec service station — capability planned for 2026. Today, every service is run through Survitec-approved partner stations across the Mediterranean (Italy, France, Spain, Greece) and the Survitec UK network.

What Mercer runs in-house: scheduling, logistics in/out of Malta, document handling (certificate, inspection report, pyrotechnics log) and a six-week-prior reminder before each service falls due. For yachts that cannot spare a 24-48 hour port stop, Survitec's RaftXChange swaps an out-of-date raft for a freshly serviced equivalent same-day.

Survitec life rafts — FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an ISO 9650 and a SOLAS life raft?

ISO 9650 is the international standard for private and recreational craft (Type 1 offshore, Type 2 coastal). SOLAS rafts are built to the IMO Safety of Life at Sea Convention and required for commercial vessels — heavier construction, larger emergency packs, stricter approval (MED Module B, USCG, Transport Canada). On Survitec's catalogue, ISO 9650 is the Leisure ISO line; SOLAS product is delivered through Throwover, Davit Launch and Self-Righting families.

How do I size a life raft for my yacht?

Start with the maximum persons-on-board the yacht is licensed for — guests plus full crew. Most flag-states require total raft capacity to meet or exceed that figure; yacht managers commonly add a small margin against single-raft loss. For Malta-flagged commercial yachts the CYC is the governing instrument.

Should I choose a valise or a container life raft?

Valise (soft case) rafts stow in a cockpit locker and suit smaller leisure yachts. Container rafts (GRP / ABS) are weatherproof, deck-cradle or davit-mounted. SOLAS installations are almost always container-mounted; ISO 9650 leisure rafts come in either format.

What is a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) and do I need one?

An HRU automatically releases a container-mounted raft if the vessel sinks before crew can launch manually. It senses water pressure at depth (typically 4 m green-top, 6 m blue-top deep-release) and cuts the lashing strap. HRUs are mandatory on SOLAS installations and recommended on any container-mounted leisure raft. Survitec supplies Hammar H20 units as standard.

How often does a Survitec life raft need servicing?

Annual servicing is the default for SOLAS rafts. The Survitec Leisure ISO Liferaft datasheet states an extended three-year service period. Mercer coordinates servicing through Survitec-approved partner stations across the Mediterranean. Survitec's RaftXChange scheme swaps an out-of-date raft for a freshly serviced equivalent when port time is short.

When should a life raft be replaced rather than re-serviced?

Survitec does not publish a fixed end-of-life date — replacement is driven by the service-station report. Common triggers: accumulated fabric damage, cylinder corrosion, repeated pressure-test failure, or obsolete pack contents. Mercer shares the service report in writing each year so the replace-vs-re-service call is transparent.

Are second-hand or recertified life rafts safe to use?

A recertified raft from an approved Survitec service station — current certificate, intact cylinder, in-date pyrotechnics — is structurally equivalent to new for that certification period (RaftXChange is built on this). Mercer does not recommend second-hand rafts of unknown service history; without traceable certification you cannot prove SOLAS or ISO 9650 compliance to an inspector or insurer.

Does Mercer Yachting service life rafts in Malta?

Not yet in-house. Mercer coordinates annual servicing through Survitec-approved partner stations across the Mediterranean, manages logistics in/out of Malta, and returns the certificate package. On-island capability is on the 2026 roadmap.

Ready to specify a Survitec life raft?

Send vessel particulars (LOA, flag, charter status, persons-on-board, current raft expiry) — we'll return a configuration with certificate package and delivery date.

Get a Life-Raft Quote →

Or call us directly: +356 79797962 | ops@merceryachting.com