Regulations of 1 July 2014 No. 1019 on life-saving appliances on ships and Regulations of 5 January 1998 No. 6 on the construction, equipment and operation of high-speed craft used as passenger craft or cargo craft.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) is aware that approved immersion suits are being offered for sale as vacuum-packed units. Such vacuum-packed suits cannot be unpacked and inspected as provided by SOLAS Chapter III.

Nevertheless, the NMA accepts this kind of packaging, and considers such vacuum-packed suits to satisfy the requirements of SOLAS regulation III/20.7 and III/36 when the following conditions are met:

  • Instructions for monthly inspections of vacuum-packed units from the manufacturer or the manufacturer's representative shall be available on board. The NMA accepts such instructions in lieu of the monthly inspection procedure described in MSC/Circ.1047.
  • A sufficient number of immersion suits in standard packaging, of the same type as the suits that are vacuum packed, must be available to the ship's crew for drills.
  • The packaging of the suits must be inspected in accordance with SOLAS III/20.7 and III/36. Should the packaging be damaged or if there is a loss of vacuum, the suits must either be removed from the packaging and inspected in accordance with MSC/Circ.1047 and MSC/Circ.1114 or sent to the manufacturer or a service station for service and repacking.
  • MSC/Circ.1114 recommends that immersion suits undergo a pressure test every three years, but the circular does not concern vacuum-packed immersion suits. The NMA accepts that pressure testing of vacuum-packed immersion suits is carried out in accordance with intervals set out by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer has not laid down test intervals, MSC/Circ.1114 shall be followed.
  • Immersion suits that have been removed from its vacuum packaging must be treated as suits in standard packaging in respect of the inspections specified in SOLAS chapter III.

During a survey, the NMA may require that one or more vacuum-packed immersion suits be opened for inspection.