C C S Technical Information

(2020) Technical Information No.1 Total No.435 Rev.4

Nov. 10. 2021
(Total 8 pages)

To: All CCS branch offices, CCS surveyors, Service providers of lifeboats & launching appliances &
on-load release gears, Shipowners, Shipping companies.

Technical notice on the implementation of the resolution

MSC.402(96)

The Marine Safety Committee (MSC) of International Maritime Organization (IMO),

at its ninety-sixth session (MSC 96) on May 11-20, 2016 adopted the requirements
for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of
lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear by the resolution
MSC.402(96), and SOLAS Reg. III/3 and III/20 was revised by the resolution
MSC.404(96), above resolutions will come into force on or after 1 January 2020. The
requirements of the approval procedure for the service providers of lifeboats has
been incorporated in IACS UR Z17 Rev.14, CCS Rules for classification of sea-going
steel ships 2019 RCN No.2 and CCS Guidelines for service providers approval and
management of the personnel qualification 2020.

As the requirements of the resolution MSC.402(96), the maintenance, thorough

examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats,
launching appliances and release gear on ships of not less than 500 gross tonnage
shall be carried out by the certified personnel of either manufacture or service
providers which approved by flag Administration or authorized Recognized
Organizations on or after 1 January 2020. Additionally, the Administration may
accept or recognize service providers authorized by other Administrations or by their
Recognized Organizations.
To implement the resolution MSC.402(96), CCS issued the Technical note No.229 on
October 17, 2016 ”Notice on implementation of the Amendments to SOLAS
Chapter III(Resolution MSC.404(96) and Resolution 402(96))”, and the flag
Administrations have also successively issued relevant circulars or notices of the
additional requirements about MSC.402(96)(see annex 1 for details, the annex is a
summary of current flag administrations requirements and for reference only. When
implement, please prefer to the latest requirements of flag administrations. To
further clarify the implementation requirements of Resolution MSC.402(96), all
parties concerned are reminded of the followings:
1. Application
These requirements shall apply to the maintenance, thorough examination,
operational testing, overhaul and repair of:
1.1 Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats; and
1.2 Launching appliances and on-load and off-load release gear for lifeboats
(including primary and secondary means of launching appliances for free-fall
lifeboats), rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched liferafts.
2. Implementation Notes
2.1 Service providers shall pay attention to the followings:
2.1.1 If the flag Administration accepts a service provider approved by CCS, and if the
expiry date of the certificate originally issued by CCS exceeds 1 January 2020, the
certificate will remain valid for the validity period and no renewal is required.
2.1.2 The service providers of lifeboats shall be authorized by the flag Administration
in accordance with Resolution MSC.402(96) in a timely manner, or approved by
other Administration or by their Recognized Organizations which are accepted by the
flag Administration in accordance with the additional requirements, otherwise CCS
surveyors will not accept the services provided during the onboard inspection.
2.1.3 The personnel carry out the maintenance, thorough examination, operational
testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and
release gear shall be certified by the manufactures or authorized service providers in
accordance with the resolution MSC.402(96), the scope of service provided (e.g.
MAKE and TYPE) and the valid date shall be clearly written on the certificate.
2.1.4 The service providers of lifeboats shall ensure that the maintenance, thorough
examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats,
launching appliances and release gear are carried out in accordance with the
resolution 402(96) , and the report provided shall cover all inspection items under
the resolution MSC.402(96) 6.2&6.3. Upon completion of a thorough examination,
operational testing, overhaul and repair, a statement certifying that the lifeboat
arrangements remain fit for purpose pursuant to resolution MSC.402(96) shall be
promptly issued by the service provider. All reports shall be completed and signed by
the person who carries out the inspection and maintenance work.
2.1.5 The service provider shall improve management system in accordance with the
requirement of MSC.402(96) and include the requirements of MSC. 402(96), which
will be checked by CCS during the initial approval and renewal audit.
2.2 Shipping companies shall pay attention to the followings:
2.2.1 All items listed in checklists for the weekly/monthly inspections required by
SOLAS regulation III/20.6 and III/20.7 shall be carried out by authorized service
providers, or by the shipboard personnel under the direction of a senior ship’s officer
in accordance with the maintenance manual and these items shall constitute the first
part of the annual thorough inspection and shall be confirmed by certified personnel
of authorized service provider.
2.2.2 Records of maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul
and repair shall be updated and filed on board the ship for the service life of the
equipment.
2.2.3 All reports shall be signed by the person who carries out the inspection and
maintenance work and countersigned by the shipping company’s representative or
the ship’s master.
2.2.4 In accordance with resolution MSC.404 (96) and the MSC.1 /Circ1618 circular,
1.1 times the verified load operation test for lifeboats and rescue boats, landing
equipment and release devices shall be carried out at least once every five years,
and the thorough examinations, overhaul and operation test should be done in the
presence of a CCS surveyor who shall be notified in advance by the shipping
company.
2.3 CCS surveyors shall pay attention to the followings:
2.3.1 CCS surveyor shall verify the authorization letter of the service providers of
lifeboats and the certification information of the employment person in accordance
with the MSC.402(96) and the additional requirements of the Administration. CCS
surveyor shall archive the approval certificate and the certification documents
(corresponding to the MAKE and TYPE) issued by manufacture or authorized service
provider.
2.3.2 In accordance with resolution MSC.404 (96) and the MSC.1 /Circ1618 circular,
1.1 times the verified load operation test for lifeboats and rescue boats, landing
equipment and release devices shall be carried out at least once every five years,
overhaul and operation test should be done in the presence of a CCS surveyor.
3. Additional requirements of some administrations
At present, 29 flag states administrations have issued additional requirements for
MSC.402(96), in which the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) requires that all
service providers engaged in the maintenance, thorough inspection , operational
testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats, landing and release equipment be
authorized by PMA; The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has more
strict certification requirements than those of MSC.402(96), and informed that the
personnel certified with a standard other than manufacture’s established
certification programme will not be accepted. In addition, the relevant requirements
may change as required by the administration. The parties concerned are kindly
reminded to pay attention to the latest information to ensure compliance with the
current requirements of the Administration.
The Technical Notice is made public on CCS website（www.ccs.org.cn）and is to be
forwarded to relevant Servicing providers of lifeboats & launching appliances &
on-load release gears, Shipowners, and Shipping companies by CCS branches within
their responsible areas.

Please contact Safety and Quality Department or Classed Ship in Service

Department of CCS Headquarters for any inquiries in the implementation.
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected].
 Annex 1

Additional requirements of some Administrations about the

MSC.402(96)
No. Administrations Whether the Whether to accept Whether to Remarks
service providers the service accept the
can only providers service providers
authorized by this approved by other approved by CCS
Administration Administrations
1 Antigua and NO YES YES Detailed information in
Barbuda ADOMS Information Notice
2017-006(Rev.4).
2 Bahama See remarks See remarks See remarks Accept the provider
approved by ROs between
01 January 2020 and 30
June 2020; provider must
approved by
Administration on or after
01 July 2020; Detailed
information in BMA
Information Bulletin
No.184.
3 Barbados See remarks Yes Yes Detailed information in
BMSR Bulletin 322.
4 Belize See remarks See remarks See remarks The administration may
accept or recognize service
providers on case by case
basis if the service provider
is approved by the
attending RO or a member
of IACS. Detailed
information in IMMARBE
MMN-20-001.
5 China See remarks See remarks See remarks Within china territory and
waters, only the service
providers in the list showed
on the China Maritime
Service System is
acceptable; Detailed
information in MSA
Manage rules for the
service provider.
Service providers approved
 by authorized RO are
acceptable oversea china.
6 Comoro Yes - - Detailed information in
NTA 20/01925 and
21/02439.
7 Cook Islands NO YES YES Detailed information in
Cook 212-2019.
8 Cyprus NO YES YES Detailed information in
Cyprus Circular 21-2019.
9 Denmark Yes Yes Yes Administration recognizes
authorizations of service
providers issued by SOLAS
contracting administrations
or by RO accepted by the
EU. Detailed information in
DMA Circular No.28.
10 Georgia NO YES YES Detailed information in
Georgia No.32-Circ-FSI.
11 Greece Yes - - For the ships operating
outside the territory of
Greece, service providers
authorized by other IMO
member states or EU RO
may be accepted. Detailed
information in No.2333.2
12 Gabon No Yes Yes Accept the service
providers recognized by
the Gabon or other SOLAS
Contracting Governments.
Detailed information in
ISRG MARCIR 06/2020.
13 Hong Kong, NO YES YES Detailed information in
China HKMD FAQ
14 Kiribati No Yes Yes Accept the service
providers authorized by a
RO of Kiribati, or other flag
administrations or their
ROs. Detailed information
in KSR Circular 54/2020.
15 Liberia See remarks See remarks See remarks The Administration will
authorize the provider
upon the satisfactory
approved by ROs. Detailed
information in Liscr Marine
 Operations Note 03-2019.
16 Luxembourg No See remarks See remarks Accept service providers
authorized by
administrations from
another European member
state or by their ROs.
Detailed information in
Circular CAM 08/2019.
17 Marshall NO NO Yes Detailed information in
Islands Marshall Technical Circular
1(Revision 6).
18 Malta No - Yes Detailed information in
MMA TN SLS.2 Rev.2.
19 Niue No Yes Yes Accept service providers
authorized by a RO of Niue
or authorized by other flag
administrations or their
ROs. Detailed information
in Circular NMC 6.2020.
20 Panama Yes NO NO Detailed information in
PMA MMC-258.
21 Singapore NO NO Yes(Limited to (1)The service provider
ABS, BV, CCS, shall be approved by any of
DNV-GL, KR, LR, the ROs(ABS, BV, CCS,
NK and RINA) DNV-GL, KR, LR, NK and
RINA) authorized by MPA.
(2)The original equipment
manufacturer need not be
approved by RO.
(3) MPA has more strict
certification requirements
than those of
MSC.402(96), and the
personnel certified with a
standard other than
manufacture’s established
certification programme
will not be accepted.
(4)Existing service
providers approved are
allowed to continue to
provide services to
Singapore’s flag ships,
subject to the RO’s
 confirmation that the
service providers meet the
requirements of MPA
Circular No.11 of 2019;
Detailed information in
MPA Circular No.11 of
2019;
22 St. Kitts & Nevis No - Yes
23 St. Vincent and No Yes Yes Detailed information in
the Grenadines SVG Circular No. SOL 012.
24 South Africa NO Yes Yes Detailed information in
SAMSAF MN12-2019.
25 Tuvalu No Yes Yes Detailed information in
TVShip MC-16/2011/1.
26 Vanuatu NO NO Yes The certificate issued prior
to 1 Jan 2020 under the
MSC.1/Circ.1277 and IACS
UR Z17 will remain valid
until expiration date or
until 31 Dec 2022,
whichever occurs earlier.
Detailed information in
VUT FSL121819.
27 Palau Yes No No Service provider that has
been approved previous to
January 1st 2020 will
remain valid after January
1st 2020 up until its expiry
date, but in no case later
than December 31st 2022.
Detailed information in
Palau MN 242.2.
28 Malaysia No - Yes Detailed information in
Chapter 24 of RO
Instruction
29 Myanmar No Yes Yes Detailed information in
Directive 8/2018