VIKING Helix from harbour trials to heavy weather
Evacuation systems need to work without hesitation. That is why testing goes far beyond controlled environments.
From full-scale capacity tests in harbour to heavy weather sea trials offshore, the VIKING Helix evacuation system is developed and refined under conditions that reflect real-life use.
Building flow from the start
Testing begins where conditions are controlled and measurable.
In harbour, full capacity tests simulate real evacuation scenarios with large groups moving through the system. These tests often involve volunteer employees and Danish conscripts, creating realistic evacuation dynamics across different age groups, physical conditions and levels of familiarity with the equipment.
The focus is not only on flow, but on ensuring that every part performs as intended. Materials, structural integrity and overall behaviour are closely monitored throughout the test.
With its helix-shaped slide, multiple people can descend at the same time, creating a continuous and controlled evacuation flow from embarkation to liferafts alongside the vessel.
During these tests, teams assess a wide range of factors to understand performance as a whole. This includes how quickly people move through the system, how the continuous descent performs under pressure, and how efficiently liferafts are boarded.
These are just a few examples. In practice, every aspect is evaluated, from material performance and structural integrity to overall behaviour during operation.
Designed for simplicity under pressure
One of the key aspects tested is how little crew intervention is required.
The design reduces complexity. A gravity-based bowsing system automatically positions the liferafts alongside the vessel during deployment, removing the need for manual handling at a critical moment.
Passengers of different sizes, including those requiring assistance or stretchers, move through the same system. Adults and children evacuate together in a controlled way, supported by the helix design.
But controlled conditions only tell part of the story.
Taking Helix offshore
To understand how the system performs in practice, it must face the unpredictability of the sea.
Heavy-weather sea trials take place in northern waters, where wind, waves, and vessel motion introduce challenges that cannot be recreated onshore.
Here, the flexibility of the helix design becomes critical. The slide moves with the vessel, maintaining a controlled descent even as conditions change.
“You can simulate a lot on land, but the sea always adds something unexpected. That is where you see how the system truly behaves,” says a member of the test team.
During these trials, teams evaluate deployment and positioning in moving seas, the stability of liferafts alongside the vessel, and whether the system maintains a controlled and continuous evacuation flow under dynamic conditions.
The aim is not just to pass a test, but to understand how the system performs when every variable is in play.
Refining through testing
Each test provides insight.
Engineers and test teams use these insights to refine performance, from component behaviour to overall function. Small changes can have a direct impact when evacuation needs to be fast and controlled.
This is how quality is built. Tested, verified and refined under real conditions.