Lifeboat Safety Equipment

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA) requires certain emergency equipment be carried on each lifeboat and liferaft used on international voyages.

1) Except for free-fall lifeboats, sufficient buoyant oars to make headway in calm seas.

2) Two boat-hooks;

3) A buoyant bailer and two buckets;

4) A survival manual

5) An operational compass which is luminous or provided with suitable means of illumination. In a totally enclosed lifeboat, the compass shall be permanently fitted at the steering position; in any other lifeboat, it shall be provided with a binnacle if necessary to protect it from the weather, and suitable mounting arrangements;

6) A sea-anchor of adequate size fitted with a shock-resistant hawser which provides a firm hand grip when wet. The strength of the sea-anchor, hawser and tripping line if fitted shall be adequate for all sea conditions;

7) Two efficient painters of a length equal to not less than twice the distance from the stowage position of the lifeboat to the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition or 15 m, whichever is the greater. On lifeboats to be launched by free-fall launching, both painters shall be stowed near the bow ready for use. On other lifeboats, one painter attached to the release device required to come together with release mechanism shall be placed at the forward end of the lifeboat and the other shall be firmly secured at or near the bow of the lifeboat ready for use;

8) Two hatchets, one at each end of the lifeboat;

9) watertight receptacles containing a total of 3 liters of fresh water for each person the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate, of which either 1 liter per person may be replaced by a desalting apparatus capable of producing an equal amount of fresh water in 2 days, or 2 liters per person may be replaced by a manually powered reverse osmosis desalinator capable of producing an equal amount of fresh water in 2 days;

10) A rustproof dipper with lanyard;

11) A rustproof graduated drinking vessel;

12) A food ration totaling not less than 10,000 kJ for each person the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate; these rations shall be kept in airtight packaging and be stowed in a watertight container;

13) Four rocket parachute flares;

14) Six hand flares;

15) Two buoyant smoke signals;

16) One waterproof electric torch suitable for Morse signaling together with one spare set of batteries and one spare bulb in a waterproof container;

17) One daylight signaling mirror with instructions for its use for signaling to ships and aircraft;

18) One copy of the life-saving signals prescribed by regulation V/16 on a waterproof card or in a waterproof container;

19) One whistle or equivalent sound signal;

20) A first-aid outfit in a waterproof case capable of being closed tightly after use;

21) Anti-seasickness medicine sufficient for at least 48 h and one seasickness bag for each person;

22) A jack-knife to be kept attached to the boat by a lanyard;

23) Three tin openers;

24) Two buoyant rescue quoits, attached to not less than 30 m of buoyant line;

25) If the lifeboat is not automatically self-bailing, a manual pump suitable for effective bailing;

26) One set of fishing tackle;

27) Sufficient tools for minor adjustments to the engine and its accessories;

28) Portable fire-extinguishing equipment of an approved type suitable for extinguishing oil fires [A.602(15)].

29) A searchlight with a horizontal and vertical sector of at least 6° and a measured luminous intensity of 2500 cd which can work continuously for not less than 3 h;

30) An efficient radar reflector, unless a survival craft radar transponder is stowed in the lifeboat;

31) Thermal protective aids complying with the requirements of section 2.5 sufficient for 10% of the number of persons the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate or two, whichever is the greater;

32) In the case of ships engaged on voyages of such a nature and duration that, in the opinion of the Administration a food ration and fishing tackle are unnecessary, the Administration may allow these items to be dispensed with.

Lifeboat markings

• The number of persons for which the lifeboat is approved shall be clearly marked on it in clear permanent characters.
• The name and port of registry of the ship to which the lifeboat belongs shall be marked on each side of the lifeboat’s bow in block capitals of the Roman alphabet.
• Means of identifying the ship to which the lifeboat belongs and the number of the lifeboat shall be marked in such a way that they are visible from above.

Next Read:

What are the lifeboat Regulations/Requirements As Per SOLAS?