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Overview
Working at sea or near open water carries risks that no amount of training alone can fully mitigate — and the consequences of falling overboard without adequate personal flotation are severe. For seafarers, offshore personnel, and maritime workers who spend their shifts near the water’s edge, a reliable, certified life jacket is not optional equipment. It is the last line of defence between a man-overboard incident and a fatality. The challenge for safety managers and procurement teams is not just sourcing a life jacket — it is sourcing the right one: a unit that meets the buoyancy requirements for open or sheltered water operations, fits comfortably enough to be worn throughout a full working shift, and carries the third-party approvals required by the vessel’s flag state or operational safety management system.
The VSG (Italy) Marine Work Vest Type — SKIPPER150 is a 150N single-chamber inflatable life jacket designed for professional maritime use. Manufactured by VSG Italy, a specialist personal protective equipment manufacturer with an established presence in marine safety, the SKIPPER150 carries RINA Class Approval against ISO 12402-3 — the international standard for Level 150 personal life-saving appliances intended for use in open or sheltered water environments where the wearer may be unconscious or exhausted. What distinguishes this vest from the broader range of life jacket options available to marine safety buyers is the combination of internationally recognised type approval, Italian manufacturing quality, and a working vest form factor that balances buoyancy performance with the freedom of movement required for active maritime work.
With approval reference SKIPPER150 09230/24/RO and full compliance with ISO 12402-3 at 150N, this unit meets the specification requirements of vessels operating under SOLAS regulations, ISM Code safety management systems, and the port state control inspection frameworks of major flag states globally.
Key Features
150N Buoyancy — Certified Open Water Performance
The SKIPPER150 provides a minimum of 150 Newtons of buoyancy when fully inflated — the performance level defined by ISO 12402-3 as appropriate for open water use where the wearer may not be in a position to assist in their own rescue. At 150N, the vest is designed to turn an unconscious or incapacitated person face-up in the water and maintain that position with adequate freeboard to keep the airway clear. For maritime workers operating in exposed coastal waters, offshore environments, or on vessels trading outside sheltered harbour limits, 150N represents the minimum acceptable buoyancy specification — and the SKIPPER150 meets it with third-party verified performance, not manufacturer self-declaration.
Single Chamber Inflatable Design — Compact, Wearable, Work-Ready
The single-chamber inflatable construction allows the SKIPPER150 to be stored in a compact, low-profile vest form when deflated — meaning it can be worn comfortably throughout a working shift without restricting movement, obscuring vision, or preventing the physical tasks required of maritime deck workers, port personnel, or offshore field teams. Unlike inherently buoyant foam-panel life jackets, which are bulky when worn and are often removed by workers during active tasks, an inflatable work vest stays on. That alone is one of the most significant safety improvements available to maritime HSE managers: a life jacket that is actually being worn when a man-overboard incident occurs.
High-Visibility Red Colour with Reflective Tape — Rapid Casualty Location
The SKIPPER150 is supplied in a high-visibility red colour with high-visibility reflective tape panels. In the event of a man-overboard incident, rapid visual location of the casualty in the water is critical — both for the vessel’s crew conducting an immediate search and for rescue services responding to a distress signal. Red is the internationally recognised life-saving appliance colour for maritime personal flotation devices, and the combination of red and reflective tape maximises visibility across the daylight and low-light conditions typical of maritime search and rescue operations. This is not a cosmetic specification — it is a search and rescue performance requirement.
600D Polyester Oxford Fabric Outer Shell — Durable in Maritime Conditions
The outer shell of the SKIPPER150 is constructed from 600D polyester oxford fabric — a specification chosen for its resistance to the abrasion, UV exposure, salt water immersion, and repeated handling that life jackets in active maritime service endure. Life jackets stored in rope lockers, worn on working decks, and exposed to weather need an outer fabric that holds up to real service conditions without degrading, losing colour, or developing structural failures that compromise the inflation bladder within. The 600D polyester construction provides that durability without adding unnecessary weight or bulk to the vest profile.
High-Quality EPE Foam Buoyancy Material — Passive Buoyancy Backup
In addition to the inflatable chamber, the SKIPPER150 incorporates high-quality EPE (expanded polyethylene) foam rubber as a buoyancy material component. EPE foam provides a degree of passive, inherent buoyancy that does not depend on inflation — meaning the vest provides some flotation support even in the event of an inflation system failure. For maritime procurement teams evaluating life jacket failure modes, this inherent buoyancy component is a meaningful safety margin: the vest is not entirely dependent on a single inflation mechanism to provide any buoyancy at all.
1750mm Rescue Line — MOB Recovery Capability
The SKIPPER150 is equipped with a 1750mm rescue line as standard. A rescue line allows the vessel’s crew or rescue personnel to establish a positive connection with a man-overboard casualty in the water — enabling controlled recovery without the need for the casualty to actively cooperate or grip a line themselves. In cold water shock or exhausted casualty scenarios, passive recovery via an attached line is often the only practicable recovery method available before a rescue boat can be deployed. The 1750mm length provides adequate scope for the vessel crew to reach and secure the line across a realistic range of recovery positions relative to the vessel’s freeboard.
Black Webbing Belt with Plastic Buckle — SOLAS-Compliant Retention
The SKIPPER150 is secured to the wearer via a black webbing belt with a plastic buckle designed and tested to the retention strength requirements of SOLAS regulations. A life jacket that separates from the wearer upon water entry provides no protection — belt and buckle retention under water entry impact loads is a fundamental performance requirement, not an incidental fitting detail. The black webbing belt provides a clear visual contrast against the red vest shell, making it straightforward for inspection personnel to verify the belt is correctly routed and fastened during routine safety drills and pre-departure checks.
Integrated Whistle — Distress Signalling Equipment
A whistle is fitted to the SKIPPER150 as a standard accessory. In a man-overboard situation, a whistle provides a simple, reliable means for a casualty in the water to signal their position — particularly in conditions where voice communication is not effective due to wind, engine noise, or wave action. SOLAS and ISO 12402 requirements for personal life-saving appliances include provisions for distress signalling equipment, and the fitted whistle ensures the SKIPPER150 is equipped for immediate use without the need for the wearer to carry additional signalling equipment separately.
Technical Specifications
Model: SKIPPER150 | Approval Ref: 09230/24/RO
Buoyancy: >150 N
Buoyancy Type: Single Chamber Inflatable
Buoyancy Material: High-Quality EPE Foam Rubber
Outer Shell Material: 600D Polyester Oxford Fabric
Colour: Red (High-Visibility)
Reflective Tape: High-Visibility Reflective Tape
Belt: Black Webbing with Plastic Buckle (SOLAS-Compliant)
Rescue Line: 1750 mm
Accessories: Whistle (fitted)
Safety Standard: ISO 12402-3 (Level 150N)
Approval: RINA Class Approval
Manufacturer: VSG (Italy)
Price: $195.00 / PC
Benefits
The most immediate benefit of deploying the SKIPPER150 across a vessel or offshore installation is the step-change in actual life jacket compliance. Maritime HSE managers know that life jacket wearing compliance among working crew — as opposed to drill compliance — is a persistent challenge. Bulky, uncomfortable foam life jackets are removed during active work and frequently not replaced before the next incident occurs. The compact inflatable profile of the SKIPPER150 changes that behaviour. Workers tolerate wearing it throughout a shift. That single outcome — a life jacket that is actually on the person when they go overboard — prevents fatalities that procedural compliance alone cannot.
From a regulatory compliance standpoint, the RINA Class Approval against ISO 12402-3 provides procurement teams with the third-party type approval documentation required to satisfy flag state, port state control, classification society, and insurance underwriter requirements for personal life-saving appliances on commercial vessels. The approval reference number (SKIPPER150 09230/24/RO) provides an unambiguous audit trail for safety management system documentation, crew equipment inventories, and survey records.
For organisations managing safety equipment procurement across a fleet or a large workforce, the combination of a recognised Italian manufacturer, RINA type approval, and a documented model reference simplifies re-order, spares management, and service interval tracking — reducing the administrative burden on HSE and procurement teams relative to sourcing life jackets from multiple suppliers with varying approval statuses.
Who It’s For
Vessel Safety Officers and Ship Masters — Fleet Life Jacket Compliance
A Safety Officer on a coastal supply vessel or offshore support vessel running crew change operations needs to be able to demonstrate, during any port state control inspection or classification society survey, that every working life jacket on board carries a valid type approval certificate and meets the buoyancy requirements of the operational area. The SKIPPER150 — with its RINA Class Approval certificate, ISO 12402-3 compliance at 150N, and clear approval reference number — provides exactly that documentation trail. It is a life jacket the Safety Officer can specify with confidence and defend to any surveyor without qualification.
HSE Managers at Port Facilities and Marine Terminals — Shoreside Water Edge Work
Port facility HSE managers overseeing stevedores, line handlers, crane operators, and other personnel working near the water’s edge face a compliance challenge that is often more operationally complex than on-vessel life jacket management: shoreside workers move between areas that do and do not require life jackets, they resist wearing bulky equipment, and the life jackets in use are often a mixed-specification collection accumulated over years. Specifying the SKIPPER150 as a standard across all water-edge working positions provides a uniform, certified, documented solution — and the compact working vest form factor significantly improves actual wearing compliance relative to foam panel alternatives.
Offshore Procurement Teams — Standardised PPE Specification Across Installations
Procurement managers responsible for PPE specification across multiple offshore installations or a vessel fleet need products that can be specified by model number, ordered consistently, and maintained to a documented service schedule without supplier variation. The SKIPPER150’s documented model reference, RINA approval, and VSG Italy manufacturer provenance provides the procurement specification stability that multi-site or fleet-scale HSE programmes require. A single approved specification covering all water-adjacent working positions — from vessel decks to platform grating to port facilities — simplifies procurement, reduces inventory complexity, and eliminates the compliance risk created by mixed-specification life jacket fleets.
Possible Applications
Commercial Vessel Deck Crew — Working Shift Life Jacket
Deck crew on cargo vessels, tankers, bulk carriers, and container ships performing line handling, cargo rigging, hatch operations, and deck maintenance work near open railings require a life jacket that can be worn throughout a full working shift. The SKIPPER150’s inflatable working vest profile allows unrestricted movement during active deck tasks — and it stays on.
Offshore Platform Personnel — Open Deck and Transfer Operations
Personnel working on offshore oil and gas platform open decks, at helideck perimeters, and during crane and material transfer operations near the platform edge require 150N-rated life jackets to meet offshore safety case requirements. The SKIPPER150’s ISO 12402-3 certification at 150N satisfies the buoyancy specification for open offshore water environments.
Port and Terminal Stevedores — Quayside and Pier Operations
Stevedores and terminal workers operating on quaysides, piers, and floating pontoons require personal flotation protection during mooring, unmooring, and cargo transfer operations. A compact, certified work vest that can be worn without restricting loading and unloading tasks is the practical solution — and the SKIPPER150 provides it with full third-party type approval.
Crew Transfer Vessel Operations — Passenger and Crew Safety
Crew transfer vessels (CTVs) carrying offshore personnel between shore bases and offshore installations operate in open water conditions that require 150N personal flotation equipment for all personnel on open deck areas. The SKIPPER150 meets the ISO 12402-3 performance requirement for this application and provides the approval documentation needed for CTV operator safety management system compliance.
Marine Pilot Boarding Operations
Marine pilots boarding and disembarking vessels via pilot ladders in exposed harbour approaches and anchorages face one of the highest man-overboard risk situations in commercial maritime operations. A certified 150N inflatable work vest worn during pilot ladder transfer provides critical buoyancy protection during the boarding and disembarkation phases — the highest-risk moments of the pilotage operation.
Inland Waterway and River Ferry Operations
Crew on river ferries, passenger water taxis, and inland waterway cargo vessels working on open decks, at gangways, and during mooring operations on rivers, estuaries, and sheltered coastal waters require personal flotation protection. The SKIPPER150 is appropriate for sheltered and open water environments, making it a single specification suitable across both coastal and inland water operation types.
Marine Survey and Inspection Teams
Hull inspectors, underwater survey teams, and marine condition assessors working from small craft or alongside vessels during afloat inspections require personal flotation equipment that can be worn during active survey tasks without restricting access or movement. The compact inflatable working vest format of the SKIPPER150 is the appropriate equipment category for this working profile.
Trust & Certifications
ISO 12402-3 — International Standard for Level 150N Life-Saving Appliances
ISO 12402-3 is the international standard that specifies the design, performance, and testing requirements for personal life-saving appliances providing a minimum buoyancy of 150 Newtons. Level 150 is the appropriate performance level for open water environments where the wearer may be subject to rough seas, may be unconscious, and may not be able to assist in their own rescue. Testing to ISO 12402-3 covers buoyancy performance, face-up turning capability, donning ease, retention under water entry, and compatibility with cold water and rough sea conditions. For procurement teams, ISO 12402-3 certification provides the performance verification baseline — this is not a self-declared specification but a third-party tested outcome.
RINA Class Approval — Third-Party Type Approval by a Leading Classification Society
RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) is one of the world’s leading classification societies and marine certification bodies, recognised by flag states and port state control authorities globally for type approval of marine safety equipment. RINA Class Approval of the SKIPPER150 against ISO 12402-3 means that an independent, internationally accredited body has tested the product, verified its compliance with the standard’s performance requirements, and issued a type approval certificate that can be presented to surveyors, flag state inspectors, and port state control officers as documentary evidence of life jacket compliance. Approval reference SKIPPER150 09230/24/RO is the specific certificate reference for this product.
SOLAS Alignment — Commercial Vessel Life-Saving Appliance Requirements
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) sets the framework requirements for life-saving appliances carried on commercial vessels. Under SOLAS Chapter III regulations, life jackets carried on commercial vessels must meet recognised international standards and carry valid type approval from a recognised organisation. The SKIPPER150’s RINA Class Approval against ISO 12402-3 provides the type approval basis required for SOLAS compliance documentation — relevant for vessel operators, flag state administrations, and classification societies verifying life-saving appliance compliance during annual surveys and port state control inspections.
VSG Italy — Specialist Marine PPE Manufacturer
VSG Italy is a specialist personal protective equipment manufacturer with a documented product range in the marine life-saving appliance sector. Italian manufacturing in the marine safety equipment category is associated with the quality control and testing rigour required to satisfy demanding European and international type approval processes — including RINA certification. Specifying a VSG Italy product by model number and RINA approval reference provides procurement teams with a supplier and product identity that can be traced through the supply chain, verified against the RINA type approval register, and referenced in safety management system documentation without ambiguity.
Accessories & Variants
Replacement CO2 Inflator Cartridge
Inflatable life jackets require periodic replacement of the CO2 inflation cartridge as part of the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. Stocking replacement cartridges compatible with the SKIPPER150 inflation mechanism ensures that serviced vests can be returned to full operational status promptly — particularly relevant for fleet operators managing large life jacket inventories where service turnaround time affects operational availability. Confirm the correct cartridge specification with your supplier to ensure compatibility with the SKIPPER150 inflation system.
Replacement Bobbin / Firing Head Assembly
Automatic inflation mechanisms in inflatable life jackets use a water-soluble bobbin or firing head that triggers inflation on water immersion. Bobbins have a defined service life and must be replaced at the manufacturer’s specified service interval to maintain automatic inflation reliability. Replacement bobbin assemblies compatible with the SKIPPER150 should be stocked as part of the routine service consumables inventory for any organisation maintaining inflatable life jackets.
Life Jacket Service and Inspection
ISO 12402-3 compliant inflatable life jackets require annual inspection and service by a qualified service centre in accordance with the manufacturer’s service manual. Service records provide the compliance documentation required by safety management system auditors, classification society surveyors, and port state control inspectors. Ensure that service records for each SKIPPER150 unit are maintained and available for inspection — this is a documentation requirement of SOLAS life-saving appliance management, not merely a maintenance recommendation.
Available Variant
VSG SKIPPER150 — 09230/24/RO | 150N Single Chamber Inflatable | RINA Class Approval | ISO 12402-3 | Red with Reflective Tape | 600D Polyester Oxford Shell | 1750mm Rescue Line | Whistle | SOLAS Belt | $195.00/PC
For requirements involving different buoyancy ratings (100N for sheltered water use, or 275N for extreme conditions), alternative inflation mechanisms, or harness-integrated life jacket systems for working at height over water, contact the supplier to confirm available model options within the VSG Italy product range.
Get in Touch
If you are specifying personal life-saving appliances for a vessel fleet, offshore installation, port facility, or maritime workforce — or if you need to confirm the correct life jacket standard, buoyancy rating, and approval status for a specific operational environment or regulatory requirement — contact us to discuss your requirement and request a formal procurement quotation.
Our team can assist with product selection against your safety specification, confirm RINA type approval documentation, advise on service interval requirements, and support procurement documentation for flag state, classification society, and port state control audit purposes.
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