Marine evacuation systems

 

Construction of the marine evacuation systems

 

The passage of the marine evacuation system shall provide for safe descent of persons of various ages, sizes and physical capabilities, wearing approved lifejackets, from the embarkation station to the floating platform or survival craft.

Strength and construction of the passage and platform shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.

The platform, if fitted, shall be:

such that sufficient buoyancy will be provided for the working load. In the case of an inflatable platform, the main buoyancy chambers, which for this purpose shall include any thwarts or floor inflatable structural members, are to meet the requirements of section 4.2 leased upon the platform capacity, except that the capacity shall be obtained by dividing by 0.25 the usable area given in paragraph 6.2.1.3.3;

stable in a seaway and shall provide a safe working area for the system operators;

of sufficient area that will provide for the securing of at least two liferafts for boarding and to accommodate at least the number of persons that at any time are expected to be on the platform. This usable platform area shall be at least equal to:

 

20% of total number of persons that

the marine evacuation system is certified for m²

or 10 m², whichever is the greater. However, Administrations may approve alternate arrangements which are demonstrated to comply with all of the prescribed performance requirements;[‡‡‡]

self-draining;

subdivided in such a way that the loss of gas from any one compartment will not restrict its operational use as a means of evacuation. The buoyancy tubes shall be subdivided or protected against damage occurring from contact with the ship's side;

fitted with a stabilizing system to the satisfaction of the Administration;

restrained by a bowsing line or other positioning systems which are designed to deploy automatically and, if necessary, to be capable of being adjusted to the position required for evacuation; and

provided with mooring and bowsing line patches of sufficient strength to securely attach the largest inflatable liferaft associated with the system.

If the passage gives direct access to the survival craft, it should be provided with a quick-release arrangement.

 

Performance of the marine evacuation system

 

A marine evacuation system shall be:

capable of deployment by one person;

such as to enable the total number of persons for which it is designed, to be transferred from the ship into the inflated liferafts within a period of 30 min in the case of a passenger ship and of 10 min in the case of a cargo ship from the time the abandon ship signal is given;

arranged such that liferafts may be securely attached to the platform and released from the platform by a person either in the liferaft or on the platform;

capable of being deployed from the ship under unfavourable conditions of trim of up to 10º and list of up to 20º either way;

in the case of being fitted with an inclined slide, such that the angle of the slide to the horizontal is:

within a range of 30º to 35º when the ship is upright and in the lightest sea-going condition; and

in the case of a passenger ship, a maximum of 55º in the final stage of flooding set by the requirements in regulation II-1/8;

evaluated for capacity by means of timed evacuation deployments conducted in harbour;

capable of providing a satisfactory means of evacuation in a sea state associated with a wind of force 6 on the Beaufort scale;

designed to, as far as practicable, remain effective under conditions of icing; and

so constructed that only a minimum amount of routine maintenance is necessary. Any part requiring maintenance by the ship's crews shall be readily accessible and easily maintained.

Where one or more marine evacuation systems are provided on a ship, at least 50% of such systems shall be subjected to a trial deployment after installation. Subject to these deployments being satisfactory, the untried systems arc to be deployed within 12 months of installation.

 

Inflatable liferafts associated with marine evacuation systems

 

Any inflatable literati used in conjunction with the marine evacuation system shall:

conform with the requirements of section 4.2;

be sited close to the system container but be capable of dropping clear of the deployed system and boarding platform;

be capable of release one at a time from its stowage rack with arrangements which will enable it to be moored alongside the platform;

be stowed in accordance with regulation III/13.4; and

be provided with pre-connected or easily connected retrieving lines to the platform.

 

Containers for marine evacuation systems

 

The evacuation passage and platform shall be packed in a container that is:

so constructed as to withstand hard wear under conditions encountered al sea; and

as tar as practicable watertight, except for drain holes in the container bottom.

The container shall be marked with:

maker's name or trade mark;

serial number;

name of approval authority and the capacity of the system;

SOLAS;

date of manufacture (month and year);

date and place of last service;

maximum permitted height of stowage above waterline; and

stowage position on board.

Launching and operating instructions shall be marked on or in the vicinity of the container.

 

Marking on marine evacuation systems

The marine evacuation system shall be marked with:

maker's name or trade mark;

serial number;

date of manufacture (month and year);

name of approving authority;

name and place of servicing station where it was last serviced, along with the date of servicing; and

the capacity of the system.