life saving

apliance
BY CADET KITTISAK #AMC 05.
1.Life boat
Lifeboats have always been an integral part of marine safety
procedures. Important for the vessel to have a mandated number of
lifeboats on board that can be easily accessed and used in case of an
emergency.
Lifeboats are basically small boats that are kept aboard a ship to
carry out emergency abandonment, in case of mishaps such as man
overboard, ship accidents, etc. occur. They primarily function as a
device for swift and effective evacuation of people in distress from
the ship and then aid them to a safe location.
Lifeboats are quickly deployed from ships with the help of davit
systems which is fixed on the sides of the ship. They include a
motor, unlike inflatable rafts and boats, which are smaller and
slower. Inflatable lifeboats consist of an auto-inflation system that is
quicker and more convenient for the people in distress.

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lifeboats – types, release mechanisms, SOLAS
requirements, safety equipment, and lifeboat maintenance.

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Types of Lifeboats

According to SOLAS Regulations, each vessel should contain enough lifeboats to accommodate
37.5% of crew and passengers on either side. While inflatable or rigid liferafts must accommodate
25% on each side of the vessel.

Lifeboats are of three types, depending on their use, area of application and effectiveness:

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-Open Lifeboats

Open lifeboat As the name suggests, these lifeboats

are open and have no roof. They are mostly
manually propelled by oars. Sometimes one may
also use a compression ignition engine to navigate
the lifeboat.
However, due to the strict safety norms currently,
open lifeboats have been discounted. They are very
rarely seen in older ships.

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-Closed Lifeboats

Closed lifeboats are enclosed with a roof that

shelters the people in it from rain, seawater
currents, and strong winds. These boats, if toppled,
stay upright on their own. These are further
classified into Fully Enclosed Lifeboats and Partially
Enclosed Lifeboats.

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-Free Fall Lifeboats

Free Fall lifeboats are stored and launched

from a downward sloping slipway for
maximum clearance. They are heavier and
stronger so as to sustain their impact with
water when they drop directly when
released from the vessel.

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SOLAS Requirements for Lifeboats

According to the LSA codes and SOLAS, there is a set of requirements that ensure the
safety on a lifeboat. These requirements are:

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•The people onboard determine the capacity of the lifeboat required on a vessel. The number of
lifeboats and liferafts should be enough to accommodate at least 125% of the number of passengers
and crew. The lifeboat should not be less than 7.3 m in length. Every ship shall carry at least two
lifeboats on either side of the ships; i.e. the port and the starboard.

•The lifeboat of a cargo ship with 20,000 GT must be capable of launching when the ship’s speed is at 5
knots.
•All the equipment described under the SOLAS code must be carried in a lifeboat to ensure survival at
sea. The equipment mainly includes freshwater, compass, distress signalling equipment, food and
ration and first aid.

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•The ship must carry a minimum of one rescue boat for rescue purposes in addition to the number of
lifeboats. If more than one lifeboat is present onboard the ship, one of them can be designated as a
rescue boat.
•The gravity davits must be held and slid down the lifeboat even when the ship is heeled at an angle of
15 degrees on either side. Ropes called gripes are used to hold the lifeboat with the cradle in the
stowed position.
•Falls are the wires which lift and lower the lifeboat. A lifeboat should not descend at more than a speed
of 36m/min and this speed is controlled by centrifugal brakes.

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• With the boat loaded to its full capacity, the hoisting time for the boat to launch its launching appliance
should not be less than 0.3 m/sec
• The Lifeboats are to be painted with an internationally-approved bright orange colour and the ship’s call
sign is to be printed on it.
• The lifeboat station, where safety awareness posters and launching procedures are posted must be easily
accessible for all the crew members in at all times and under all circumstances.
• To ensure that the ship’s crew members are capable of launching the boat in minimum time in case of an
emergency, regular drills must be conducted.
• Apart from these requirements, lifeboats are required to have the necessary safety and survival equipment
onboard as well.

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Lifeboat Safety Equipment

A lifeboat alone is enough to aid people to a safe place, but there is certain basic life-
safety equipment each boat should carry. Here is a list of this equipment:

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COMPASS SIGNALING MIRROR

A lifeboat should contain a portable compass A signalling mirror is a device that reflects
in order to check the direction in which it is to light to grab the attention of a vessel
be steered. Carrying one renders mandatory as passing by or a rescue plane. Any reflective
it is a crucial component required to stay on object can be used, but signal mirrors are
designed to make targeting your flash a lot
course during rescue operations.
easier. They have a hole in the middle with a
retro-reflective surface that allows you to
train a bright indicator on your target, so
you’ll know for sure that you’re shining in
the right place.

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EMBARKATION LADDER DIPPER
When stranded on a lifeboat, portable water is a
An embarkation ladder has two ropes fixed
with wooden or metal steps and is used either
very precious commodity which needs to be
to ascend or descend from one ship to used sparingly to last longer. However, there are
another during an evacuation procedure. Also great chances of the water being spilt while
known as Pilot ladders, they need to be well- pouring due to the swaying motion of the sea. A
secured and stored at the strongest point dipper helps minimize the spillage of lifeboat
midway along with the ship. They must cover water.
the entire length from the ship’s deck down to
the water level and one must ensure that the
ladder is kept clear of all ship discharges.

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 FIRST AID KIT FOOD RATIONS

A medical kit consisting of basic The emergency ration is food stored in lifeboats
medicines, bandages, and first aid and rescue boats in case the people on it have to
required to treat minor injuries must be stay for multiple days. The stored food ration
present on every lifeboat. includes wheat flour, glucose, soya fat, vitamins,
and freshwater.

In addition to stocking the lifeboat completely, it

is highly crucial the lifeboat is checked
periodically and maintained properly in order to
ensure its continued efficiency.

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Maintenance Required in Lifeboats

The presence of lifeboats on board can make all the difference when it comes to quick evacuations at
sea in case of emergencies. Hence, they need to be functioning perfectly at all times.

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•To avoid rupture and damage, lifeboat maintenance must be done every 3 months by the ship staff to
check and repair damages.
•The lifeboat hull must be checked regularly for any cracks and drills.

•The air support system in lifeboats should be checked. The pressure of air bottles must be verified so
as to avoid the passage of toxic gases in it.

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•he sprinkler system installed in lifeboats should be checked regularly to see if the valve functions
properly and is not frozen or damaged.
•The engine of a lifeboat must be tested at least for 3 minutes every week.

•The lifeboat battery which provides lighting to the lifeboat and helps start the engine should be
renewed every 2-3 years.

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2.Life buoy
A ring-shaped floating life preserver. Lifebuoys are required,
primarily to assist in „man-overboard” situations.
According to SOLAS the minimum number of lifebuoys on board
ships depends on length of a ship in meters. Lifebuoys shall be
stowed on both sides, on all open decks extending to the ship’s side,
and not permanently secured in any way.
At least one lifebuoy on each side of the ship must be fitted with a
buoyant lifeline.
Not less than on half of the total number of lifebuoys must be
provided with self-igniting lights. Not less than two of these must
also be provided with lifebuoy self-activating signals and be
capable of quick release from the navigation bridge.

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 SOLAS Requirements for Lifebuoys

1.Are located in easily accessible places on both sides of the vessel, on all open decks extending to the side of the ship; at
least one should be placed near the stern;

2.The lifebuoys should be fastened so that they can quickly and freely drop them onto the water.

At least one lifebuoy on each side of the ship should be equipped with a floating boat conforming to the code
requirements (equal in length to at least two heights above the water, from the place where the life ring is located, or 30
meters, depending on what more).

At least half of the total number of lifebuoys should be equipped with Self-activating smoke signals that meet the
requirements of the Code; at least two of these lights should also be equipped with self-activated smoke signals meeting
the requirements of the Code, and should be capable of rapid release from attachment; Lifebuoys with lights and smoke
signals should be evenly distributed on both sides of the vessel.

Each lifebuoy must be marked with capital letters of the Latin alphabet with the name of the ship on which it is
transported and the port of registration of the vessel.

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 Each lifebuoy should:

• Have an outer diameter of not more than 800 mm and an inner diameter of at least 400 mm;

• Made of non-fading material; It can not be inflatable or made of cane, cork chips or any crushed material.
Usually the wheels are made of foamed polystyrene, foam rubber or other synthetic foam that does not absorb
water.

• Be able to maintain at least 14.5 kg of iron in fresh water for 24 hours;

• Have a mass of at least 2.5 kg;

• Do not sustain burning or continue melting after full enveloping with fire for 2 seconds;

• Installed in such a way as to withstand falling into water from the height at which it is laid above the waterline;

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