Bureau Veritas has developed guidelines for walk-to-work (W2W) motion compensated Offshore Access Systems (OAS). Guidance Note NI629 Certification of Offshore Access Systems provides an overview of the safety principles and technical requirements for the design, manufacturing and operation of reliable and dependable equipment for the safe transfer of personnel at sea.
Two different offshore access technologies have emerged: passive transfer gangways, which are first connected to the offshore installation and then put in free-flow mode for personnel transfer, and active transfer gangways which remain motion compensated during personnel transfer. The safety issues and critical components, which differ from one category to the other, require special attention to ensure safe and reliable operation.