Stowage of Survival Crafts
As per SOLAS Ch III, Regulation 13, each survival craft shall be stowed:
1) so that neither the survival craft nor its stowage arrangements will interfere with the operation of any other survival craft or rescue boat at any other launching station
2) as near the water surface as is safe and practicable and, in the case of a survival craft other than a liferaft intended for throw over board launching, in such a position that the survival craft in the embarkation position is not less than 2 m above the waterline with the ship in the fully loaded condition under unfavourable conditions of trim of up to 10 deg. and listed up to 20 deg. either way, or to the angle at which the ship’s weather deck edge becomes submerged, whichever is less,
3) in a state of continuous readiness so that two crew members can carry out preparations for embarkation and launching in less than 5 min
4) fully equipped as required by SOLAS regulations
5) as far as practicable, in a secure and sheltered positon and protected from damage by fire and explosion. In particular, Survival craft on tankers, shall not be stowed on or above a cargo tank, slop tank, or other tank containing explosive or hazardous cargoes.
Lifeboats for lowering down the ship’s side shall be stowed as far forward of the propeller as practicable.
On cargo ships of 80 m in length and upwards but less than 120m in length, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller.
On cargo ships of 120 m in length and upwards and passenger ships of 80 m in length and upwards, each lifeboat shall be so stowed that the after end of the lifeboat is not less than 1.5 times the length of the lifeboat forward of the propeller. Where appropriate, the ship shall be so arranged that lifeboats, in their stowed positions, are protected from damage by heavy seas.
Lifeboats shall be stowed attached to launching appliances.
1) Every liferaft shall be stowed with its painter permanently attached to the ship.
2) Each Iiferaft or group of liferafts shall be stowed with a float-free arrangement (HRU) so that each floats free and, if inflatable, inflates automatically when the ship sinks.
3) Liferats shall be so stowed as to permit manual release of one raft or container at a time from their securing arangements.
4) Davit-launched liferats shall be stowed within reach of the lifing hooks, unless some means of transfer is provided which is not rendered inoperable within the limits of trim and list prescribed in the above paragraph or by ship motion or power failure.
5) Liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching shall be so stowed as to be readily transferable for launching on either side of the ship unless the liferafts,
to be capable of being launched on either side, are stowed on each side of the ship.
Ref: SOLAS Ch III, Regulation 13
