LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES

POCKET CHECKLIST
Reducing the risk of Port State Control detentions

In conjunction with:
Introduction

During the period 2005–2007, approximately 2,500 crew and

passengers were reported killed or missing from lost ships.
Additionally, there are increasing numbers of accidents and
fatalities during routine lifeboat and inspection drills. It is
therefore essential that ship personnel are appropriately
trained in how to inspect, maintain and operate equipment
and that the equipment is ready for use at all times.
Being prepared can mean the difference between lives lost or
lives saved.
In conjunction with an industry partner, the UK P&I Club, we
have analysed data relating to life-saving appliances, including
deficiencies found by Port State Control officers. The result is
this re-usable checklist, which highlights the most common
deficiencies and lists them in convenient sections.
As a minimum, the items on the chart on page 4 should
be included as part of your final checks prior to voyage
and port entry. It is strongly advised that all items in this
aide memoire are checked on an ongoing basis to
supplement your own operational and maintenance
procedures and your flag State’s requirements.
This is the third in a series of pocket checklists to help you
comply with international convention requirements. For
information about our other checklists please visit www.lr.org.

Lloyd’s Register, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees
or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as the ‘Lloyd's
Register Group’. The Lloyd's Register Group assumes no responsibility and shall not
be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the
information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person
has signed a contract with the relevant Lloyd's Register Group entity for the provision
of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is
exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.

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Are you prepared for a Port State
Control Inspection?

PSC officers always commence their inspection in the Master’s

office. It is essential that certification is up-to-date and valid.
All other necessary documents, records and manuals should,
where required, be approved and on board.
If equipment is broken or missing, or the ship has suffered
damage enroute, the Master must notify the port authorities
prior to port entry. If the port authorities are informed of the
problem and of any permanent or temporary remedies agreed
with the flag State, the vessel should not be detained.
However, if notice is not given before entry, the Port State has
clear grounds for inspection, possibly leading to a detention.
If your ship is detained, or appears to be in the process
of being detained, you should contact the nearest Lloyd’s
Register Group office immediately for assistance.
The major PSC organisations publish their criteria for targeting a
ship on their web sites. Ship owners and operators should use
these criteria to calculate the target rating of their ships.
Paris MOU - www.parismou.org
Tokyo MOU - www.tokyo-mou.org
USCG - http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/home.do
Other MOUs include Abuja, Black Sea, Caribbean, Indian
Ocean, Mediterranean, Riyadh and Vina del Mar.
A ship operator may disagree with the findings of the PSC
Authority and the majority of the regional PSC organisations
have guidelines on how to appeal against a detention. These
can also be found on the above web sites.
IMO Procedures for Port State Control, Appendix 1 also
provides guidelines on detentions [ISBN: 92-801-5099-5].

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Life-Saving Appliance deficiencies

The following are the most common Life-Saving

appliance deficiencies (by number) found by Port State
Control officers on ships classed by Lloyd's Register
between 2005–2007

34 29
38
49
309
52

52

63
76 105
94

0610 lifeboats [309]

0630 launching arrangements for survival craft [105]
0650 lifebuoys [94]
0611 lifeboat inventory [76]
0620 inflatable liferafts [63]
0660 lifejackets [52]
0692 operational readiness maintenance and inspections [52]
0695 on board training and instructions [49]
0680 embarkation arrangements survival craft [38]
0615 rescue boats [34]
0628 stowage of liferafts [29]

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1. Certificates

The following certificates must be carried on board.

1. ■ Cargo Ship Safety Equipment or Passenger Ship

Safety
– including the Record of Safety Equipment (Form E
or Form P)
2. ■ Cargo Ship Safety Radio
– including the Record of Equipment (Form R)
3. ■ Lifeboat
– certificate of approval and for self-contained air
support system, fire protection and on-load release
gear, if provided
4. ■ Rescue boats (together with release
arrangements)
– certificate of approval
5. ■ Liferaft
– certificate of approval
– hydrostatic release unit other than disposable
6. ■ Launching Appliances
– certificate of approval for davits including liferaft
davits if fitted
7. ■ Air supply bottles hydrostatic test, if fitted
8. ■ Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)
9. ■ Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
(EPIRB)

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2. Documents and records

The following documents and records must be carried on

board and be current, original and approved, where required.

1. ■ Instructions for on-board maintenance or a

ship-board planned maintenance programme
2. ■ SOLAS training manuals and on-board training
aids
3. ■ Muster list and emergency instructions
4. ■ Radio station licence
5. ■ Records of inspection, maintenance, testing and
drills
6. ■ Records of crew familiarisation with fire and
abandon ship drills
Inspection and testing
7. ■ Inspection and testing of life-saving and
launching appliances
– includes on-load release gear, where fitted
8. ■ Communications equipment
9. ■ Lifeboat / rescue boat engine
– weekly test conducted and recorded
10. ■ Emergency lighting
11. ■ Weekly and on-load engine tests conducted and
recorded
12. ■ EPIRB shore-based maintenance
13. ■ Liferaft servicing at an approved service station

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2. Documents and records, continued

14. ■ Servicing of fire-extinguishers in lifeboats

15. ■ Hydrostatic test of air supply bottles, where
fitted

Correctly mounted
Hydrostatic Release
Unit (HRU) on an
inflatable liferaft

Incorrectly mounted HRU on

an inflatable liferaft. The
painter should be attached to
the HRU

Note:
Photograph records, with dates, provide good evidence of drills being
regularly held.

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3. Launching and stowage
arrangements for lifeboats

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.

1. ■ Davits and falls

– all moving parts well greased and free
– no corrosion, knife edges, cracks or holes
– correctly marked
– winches and brakes in good order and maintained
– cut-out switches properly maintained
– fall wires to be maintained as per SOLAS
– securing devices and terminations properly
maintained
– tricing pendant and man ropes correctly
maintained and rigged (as applicable)
2. ■ Bowsing tackles (if applicable) properly attached
and ready for use
3. ■ Embarkation arrangements
– Adequate lighting, emergency lighting, signs, etc.
– Embarkation ladder and securing arrangements in
good condition and of adequate length
– Applicable launching instructions displayed

Notes:
1. It is recommended that the decks at the embarkation areas have a
non-skid coating.
2. Launching arrangements are to be checked annually by the
manufacturer or person certified by the manufacturer.

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4. Lifeboats all types

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.
Structure
1. ■ Hull in good condition
– No deterioration in way of bearing surfaces
– No cracks in hull and buoyancy tanks or corners of
thwarts and, if required, all cracks repaired by
approved means
– Bilge keels not corroded and effectively attached
– Grab lines effectively attached
2. ■ Connections to boat / rafts in good condition
– Hanging hooks not corroded
– Keel plate connections and pins in good condition
Engine
3. ■ Starts readily
4. ■ Battery charger(s) connected and maintained
5. ■ Batteries tested to ensure charged, alternative
starting arrangement present (hand crank)
6. ■ Exhaust protected (insulated)
7. ■ Sufficient fuel and no leaks of fuel or luboil
General
8. ■ Rudder and stock in good working order
9. ■ Hook release mechanism well maintained
10. ■ Brake release arrangement functions correctly

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4. Lifeboats all types, continued

11. ■ Bilge pump in good condition

– evidence of suction
12. ■ Plugs operable and free but permanently
attached
13. ■ Lifeboat painter in good condition and correctly
rigged
14. ■ All markings clear and visible, including seat
markings
– white painted or retro-reflective tape for night
visibility
15. ■ Grab rails and lanyards in good condition
16. ■ On-board air system, where provided, in good
order
17. ■ Overall water-spray systems, where provided,
tested and operational
18. ■ Operational instructions correctly displayed
inside and outside boat(s)
19. ■ VHF radio-telephone, where provided, in good
order

Notes:
1. Engine must be able to start without ‘magic spray’ (engine spray).
2. Test for deterioration of gel coat and fibre layers and check for
glazing of the gel coat.
3. The lifeboat capacity which is marked on the outside of the boat
should be the same as the number on the certificate of approval.

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5. Free-fall lifeboats

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.

1. ■ Correctly secured and stowed

2. ■ Well maintained with seat belts and head
restraints in good order
3. ■ Hook release well maintained and charged with
hydrostatic oil as necessary

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6. Lifeboat inventory

At all times, all equipment should be available, ready for

operation, well maintained and inspected regularly.
1. ■ Distress flares in date
2. ■ Stores correctly maintained and well stowed
including water and rations
3. ■ Buoyant oars and rowlocks, where required
4. ■ Protecting cover provided
5. ■ Sails provided, where required
6. ■ Sea anchor with shock resistant hawser and a
tripping line

Corroded stores
compartment

Note:
The above items are those which are most commonly found deficient by
Port State Control Officers. A full list of lifeboat stores / inventory can be
found in the LSA Code - International Life-Saving Appliance Code.

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7. Inflatable Liferafts

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.

1. ■ Weak link correctly positioned and hydrostatic

release in date
2. ■ Number and capacity as per Form E or Form P
3. ■ Fall wires to be maintained as per SOLAS
4. ■ Launching arrangements approved by
manufacture and instructions clearly visible
5. ■ Correctly stowed, secured and clear of
obstructions and free from damage to
packaging and sealing
6. ■ Correctly positioned on board
7. ■ Correctly marked with ships’ name, servicing
details, validity period and capacity
8. ■ Painter of adequate length according to the
stowed height to the water

Note:
If a forward liferaft is required, it should be provided with an
embarkation ladder, emergency lighting and the required number of
lifejackets. This is also applicable to the aft liferaft of many ro-ro ships
and some other ships with forward accommodation.

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8. Rescue boats (if fitted)

At all times, all equipment required in accordance with the LSA

Code should be ready for operation, well maintained and
inspected regularly.
Also see deficiencies relating to lifeboats.
1. ■ Stowed and positioned correctly
2. ■ Inventory correct and up-to-date
3. ■ Launching and recovery arrangements
4. ■ Lighting, emergency lighting and signs
5. ■ Inflatable compartments appropriately
pressurised
6. ■ Propeller guard in place
7. ■ Rescue boat personnel documented and fully
familiar with all details of launching and
operation
8. ■ Engine should be serviced in accordance with
the engine manual

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9. Miscellaneous

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.

1. ■ Lifebuoys
– correct numbers and location with appropriate
marking
– Lights and lines of correct type and fitted and
rigged as per SOLAS
– bridge wing man overboard light and smoke floats
in date, correctly rigged, not damaged and fitted
to correct weight lifebuoys
2. ■ Lifejackets and inflatable lifejackets
– correct numbers and location with appropriate
marking
– infant lifejackets to be provided, if appropriate and
marked, as necessary
– in good condition, securing tapes not knotted and
not rotten
– lights not cracked and in date
– servicing, where applicable
– equipped with operational whistle
– reflective tapes in good order
3. ■ Immersion suits, if required
– correct numbers, correctly positioned and in good
condition
4. ■ Radio life-saving appliances
– float-free EPIRB checked for date verification of
hydrostatic release unit (HRU) and batteries
– at least one SART provided on each side of the
bridge and battery dates verified

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9. Miscellaneous, continued

5. ■ 2-way radiotelephone apparatus for survival

craft
– 2 or 3 sets as applicable to ship type and size
– spare sealed lithium batteries available for all sets
and in date
– do not use sets for general communication on
board
6. ■ General emergency alarm is functional
7. ■ Line throwing appliances
– appropriate numbers
– lines in good condition and inspected
– instructions in use provided

Notes:
1. In the case of large ships with high accommodation blocks, which
have lifeboats stowed considerably lower, SARTS may be stowed each
side in the vicinity of the lifeboats.
2. In the case of a stern-launched freefall lifeboat, one SART is kept on
the bridge and one SART is kept in the vicinity of the lifeboat.

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10. Drills

At all times, all equipment should be ready for operation, well

maintained and inspected regularly.

1. ■ Drills are to be carried out in accordance with

SOLAS
– check that the sheaves are running free
– check winch operation, brakes and clutch
– check man ropes
– check condition and attachments of the bowsing
tackles
– check davit limit switches
– check crew familiarisation with fire and abandon
ship drills
2. ■ On-board training and instructions
– manuals available including maintenance
– ongoing training and familiarisation with all
equipment
3. ■ Abandon ship drill
– lifeboats and rescue boats to be launched,
lowered and manoeuvred in water in accordance
with SOLAS and flag Administration requirements.
4. ■ Man Overboard drills carried out
– crew musters
– rescue boat launched
– Williamson Turn (Man overboard turn) completed

Note:
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1206 provides guidance on ‘Measures To Prevent
Accidents With Lifeboats’.

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