Page 21

in their normal positions.

4.2.2.2 The floor of the liferaft shall be waterproof and shall be capable of being sufficiently insulated
against cold either:

.1 by means of one or more compartments that the occupants can inflate, or which inflate
automatically and can be deflated and reinflated by the occupants; or

.2 by other equally efficient means not dependent on inflation.

4.2.2.3 The liferaft shall be capable of being inflated by one person. The liferaft shall be inflated with a
nontoxic gas. Inflation shall be completed within a period of 1 min at an ambient temperature of between
18 C and 20 C and within a period of 3 min at an ambient temperature of -30 C. After inflation the
liferaft shall maintain its form when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment.

4.2.2.4 Each inflatable compartment shall be capable of withstanding a pressure equal to at least 3 times
the working pressure and shall be prevented from reaching a pressure exceeding twice the working
pressure either by means of relief valves or by a limited gas supply. Means shall be provided for fitting
the topping up pump or bellows required by paragraph 4.2.9.1.2 so that the working pressure can be
maintained.

4.2.3 Carrying capacity of inflatable liferafts

The number of persons which a liferaft shall be permitted to accommodate shall be equal to the
lesser of:

.1 the greatest whole number obtained by dividing by 0.096 the volume, measured in cubic
metres of the main buoyancy tubes (which for this purpose shall include neither the
arches nor the thwarts if fitted) when inflated; or

.2 the greatest whole number obtained by dividing by 0.372 the inner horizontal
cross-sectional area of the liferaft measured in square metres (which for this purpose may
include the thwart or thwarts, if fitted) measured to the innermost edge of the buoyancy
tubes; or

.3 the number of persons having an average mass of 75 kg, all wearing either immersion
suits and lifejackets or, in the case of davit-launched liferafts, lifejackets, that can be
seated with sufficient comfort and headroom without interfering with the operation of any
of the liferaft's equipment.

4.2.4 Access into inflatable liferafts

4.2.4.1 At least one entrance shall be fitted with a semi-rigid boarding ramp ,capable of supporting a
person weighing 100 kg, to enable persons to board the liferaft from the sea. The boarding ramp shall be
so arranged as to prevent significant deflation of the liferaft if the ramp is damaged. In the case of a
davit-launched liferaft having more than one entrance, the boarding ramp shall be fitted at the entrance
opposite the bowsing lines and embarkation facilities.
Page 22

4.2.4.2 Entrances not provided with a boarding ramp shall have a boarding ladder, the lowest step of
which shall be situated not less than 0.4 m below the liferaft's light waterline.

4.2.4.3 There shall be means inside the liferaft to assist persons to pull themselves into the liferaft from
the ladder.

4.2.5 Stability of inflatable liferafts

4.2.5.1 Every inflatable liferaft shall be so constructed that, when fully inflated and floating with the
canopy uppermost, it is stable in a seaway.

4.2.5.2 The stability of the liferaft when in the inverted position shall be such that it can be righted in a
seaway and in calm water by one person.

4.2.5.3 The stability of the liferaft when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment shall
be such that it can be towed at speeds of up to 3 knots in calm water.

4.2.5.4 The liferaft shall be fitted with water pockets complying with the following requirements:

.1 the water pockets shall be of a highly visible colour;

.2 the design shall be such that the pockets fill to at least 60% of their capacity within 25 s of
deployment;

.3 the pockets shall have an aggregate capacity of at least 220 for liferafts up to 10 persons;

.4 the pockets for liferafts certified to carry more than 10 persons shall have an aggregate
capacity of not less than 20 N , where N = number of persons carried; and

.5 the pockets shall be positioned symmetrically round the circumference of the liferaft.
Means shall be provided to enable air to readily escape from underneath the liferaft.

4.2.6 Containers for inflatable liferafts

4.2.6.1 The liferaft shall be packed in a container that is:

.1 so constructed as to withstand hard wear under conditions encountered at sea;

.2 of sufficient inherent buoyancy, when packed with the liferaft and its equipment, to pull
the painter from within and to operate the inflation mechanism should the ship sink; and

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

4.2.6.2 The liferaft shall be packed in its container in such a way as to ensure, as far as possible, that the
waterborne liferaft inflates in an upright position on breaking free from its container.

4.2.6.3 The container shall be marked with:

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.1 maker's name or trade mark;

.2 serial number;

.3 name of approving authority and the number of persons it is permitted to carry;

.4 SOLAS;

.5 type of emergency pack enclosed;

.6 date when last serviced;

.7 length of painter;
.8 maximum permitted height of stowage above waterline (depending on drop-test height
and length of painter); and

.9 launching instructions.

4.2.7 Markings on inflatable liferafts

4.2.7.1 The liferaft shall be marked with:

.1 maker's name or trade mark;

.2 serial number;

.3 date of manufacture (month and year);

.4 name of approving authority;

.5 name and place of servicing station where it was last serviced; and

.6 number of persons it is permitted to accommodate over each entrance in characters not

less than 100 mm in height of a colour contrasting with that of the liferaft.

4.2.7.2 Provision shall be made for marking each liferaft with the name and port of registry of the ship to
which it is to be fitted, in such a form that the ship identification can be changed at any time without
opening the container.

4.2.8 Davit-launched inflatable liferafts

4.2.8.1 In addition to complying with the above requirements, a liferaft for use with an approved
launching appliance shall, when suspended from its lifting hook or bridle, withstand a load of:

.1 4 times the mass of its full complement of persons and equipment, at an ambient
temperature and a stabilized liferaft temperature of 20 ± 3 C with all relief valves
inoperative; and
Page 24

.2 1.1 times the mass of its full complement of persons and equipment at an ambient
temperature and a stabilized liferaft temperature of -30 C with all relief valves operative.

4.2.8.2 Rigid containers for liferafts to be launched by a launching appliance shall be so secured that the
container or parts of it are prevented from falling into the sea during and after inflation and launching of
the contained liferaft.

4.2.9 Additional equipment for inflatable liferafts

4.2.9.1 In addition to the equipment required by paragraph 4.1.5, every inflatable liferaft shall be
provided with:

.1 one repair outfit for repairing punctures in buoyancy compartments; and

.2 one topping-up pump or bellows.

4.2.9.2 The knives required by paragraph 4.1.5.1.2 shall be safety knives, and the tin openers and scissors
required by paragraph 4.1.5.1.7 shall be of the safety type.

4.3 Rigid liferafts

4.3.1 Rigid liferafts shall comply with the requirements of section 4.1 and, in addition, shall comply
with the requirements of this section.

4.3.2 Construction of rigid liferafts

4.3.2.1 The buoyancy of the liferaft shall be provided by approved inherently buoyant material placed as
near as possible to the periphery of the liferaft. The buoyant material shall be fire-retardant or be
protected by a fire-retardant covering.

4.3.2.2 The floor of the liferaft shall prevent the ingress of water and shall effectively support the
occupants out of the water and insulate them from cold.

4.3.3 Carrying capacity of rigid liferafts

The number of persons which a liferaft shall be permitted to accommodate shall be equal to the
lesser of:

.1 the greatest whole number obtained by dividing by 0.096 the volume, measured in cubic
metres of the buoyancy material multiplied by a factor of 1 minus the specific gravity of
that material; or

.2 the greatest whole number obtained by dividing by 0.372 the horizontal cross-sectional
area of the floor of the liferaft measured in square metres; or

.3 the number of persons having an average mass of 75 kg, all wearing immersion suits and
lifejackets, that can be seated with sufficient comfort and headroom without interfering
with the operation of any of the liferaft's equipment.
 Page 25

4.3.4 Access into rigid liferafts

4.3.4.1 At least one entrance shall be fitted with a rigid boarding ramp to enable persons to board the
liferaft from the sea. In the case of a davit-launched liferaft having more than one entrance, the boarding
ramp shall be fitted at the entrance opposite to the bowsing and embarkation facilities.

4.3.4.2 Entrances not provided with a boarding ramp shall have a boarding ladder, the lowest step of
which shall be situated not less than 0.4 m below the liferaft's light waterline.

4.3.4.3 There shall be means inside the liferaft to assist persons to pull themselves into the liferaft from
the ladder.

4.3.5 Stability of rigid liferafts

4.3.5.1 Unless the liferaft is capable of operating safely whichever way up it is floating, its strength and
stability shall be such that it is either self-righting or can be readily righted in a seaway and in calm water
by one person.
4.3.5.2 The stability of a liferaft when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment shall be
such that it can be towed at speeds of up to 3 knots in calm water.

4.3.6 Markings on rigid liferafts

The liferaft shall be marked with:

.1 name and port of registry of the ship to which it belongs;

.2 maker's name or trade mark;

.3 serial number;

.4 name of approving authority;

.5 number of persons it is permitted to accommodate over each entrance in characters not

less than 100 mm in height of a colour contrasting with that of the liferaft;

.6 SOLAS;

.7 type of emergency pack enclosed;

.8 length of painter;

.9 maximum permitted height of stowage above waterline (drop-test height); and

.10 launching instructions.

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4.3.7 Davit-launched rigid liferafts

In addition to the above requirements, a rigid liferaft for use with an approved launching
appliance shall, when suspended from its lifting hook or bridle, withstand a load of 4 times the mass of its
full complement of persons and equipment.

4.4 General requirements for lifeboats

4.4.1 Construction of lifeboats

4.4.1.1 All lifeboats shall be properly constructed and shall be of such form and proportions that they
have ample stability in a seaway and sufficient freeboard when loaded with their full complement of
persons and equipment. All lifeboats shall have rigid hulls and shall be capable of maintaining positive
stability when in an upright position in calm water and loaded with their full complement of persons and
equipment and holed in any one location below the waterline, assuming no loss of buoyancy material and
no other damage.

4.4.1.2 Each lifeboat shall be fitted with a certificate of approval, endorsed by the Administration,
containing at least the following items:

- manufacturer's name and address;

- lifeboat model and serial number;

- month and year of manufacture;

- number of persons the lifeboat is approved to carry; and

- the approval information required under paragraph 1.2.2.9.

The certifying organization shall provide the lifeboat with a certificate of approval which, in addition to
the above items, specifies:

- number of the certificate of approval;

- material of hull construction, in such detail as to ensure that compatibility problems in

repair should not occur;

- total mass fully equipped and fully manned; and

- statement of approval as to sections 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8 or 4.9.

4.4.1.3 All lifeboats shall be of sufficient strength to:

.1 enable them to be safely launched into the water when loaded with their full complement
of persons and equipment; and
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.2 be capable of being launched and towed when the ship is making headway at a speed of 5
knots in calm water.

4.4.1.4 Hulls and rigid covers shall be fire-retardant or non-combustible.

4.4.1.5 Seating shall be provided on thwarts, benches or fixed chairs which are constructed so as to be
capable of supporting:

.1 a static load equivalent to the number of persons each weighing 100 kg for which spaces
are provided in compliance with the requirements of paragraph 4.4.2.2.2;

.2 a load of 100 kg in any single seat location when a lifeboat to be launched by falls is
dropped into the water from a height of at least 3 m; and

.3 a load of 100 kg in any single seat location when a free-fall lifeboat is launched from a
height of at least 1.3 times its free-fall certification height.

4.4.1.6 Except for free-fall lifeboats, each lifeboat to be launched by falls shall be of sufficient strength to
withstand a load, without residual deflection on removal of that load:

.1 in the case of boats with metal hulls, 1.25 times the total mass of the lifeboat when loaded
with its full complement of persons and equipment; or

.2 in the case of other boats, twice the total mass of the lifeboat when loaded with its full
complement of persons and equipment.

4.4.1.7 Except for free-fall lifeboats, each lifeboat to be launched by falls shall be of sufficient strength to
withstand, when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment and with, where applicable,
skates or fenders in position, a lateral impact against the ship's side at an impact velocity of at least 3.5 m/s
and also a drop into the water from a height of at least 3 m.

4.4.1.8 The vertical distance between the floor surface and the interior of the enclosure or canopy
over 50% of the floor area shall be:

.1 not less than 1.3 m for a lifeboat permitted to accommodate nine persons or less;

.2 not less than 1.7 m for a lifeboat permitted to accommodate 24 persons or more; and

.3 not less than the distance as determined by linear interpolation between 1.3 m and 1.7 m
for a lifeboat permitted to accommodate between nine and 24 persons.

4.4.2 Carrying capacity of lifeboats

4.4.2.1 No lifeboat shall be approved to accommodate more than 150 persons.

4.4.2.2 The number of persons which a lifeboat to be launched by falls shall be permitted to
accommodate shall be equal to the lesser of:
Page 28

.1 the number of persons having an average mass of 75 kg, all wearing lifejackets, that can
be seated in a normal position without interfering with the means of propulsion or the
operation of any of the lifeboat's equipment; or

.2 the number of spaces that can be provided on the seating arrangements in accordance with
figure 1. The shapes may be overlapped as shown, provided footrests are fitted and there
is sufficient room for legs and the vertical separation between the upper and lower seat is
not less than 350 mm.
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4.4.2.3 Each seating position shall be clearly indicated in the lifeboat.

4.4.3 Access into lifeboats

4.4.3.1 Every passenger ship lifeboat shall be so arranged that it can be rapidly boarded by its full
complement of persons. Rapid disembarkation shall also be possible.

4.4.3.2 Every cargo ship lifeboat shall be so arranged that it can be boarded by its full complement of
persons in not more than 3 min from the time the instruction to board is given. Rapid disembarkation
shall also be possible.

4.4.3.3 Lifeboats shall have a boarding ladder that can be used at any boarding entrance of the lifeboat to
enable persons in the water to board the lifeboat. The lowest step of the ladder shall be not less than 0.4
m below the lifeboat's light waterline.

4.4.3.4 The lifeboat shall be so arranged that helpless people can be brought on board either from the sea
or on stretchers.

4.4.3.5 All surfaces on which persons might walk shall have a non-skid finish.

4.4.4 Lifeboat buoyancy

All lifeboats shall have inherent buoyancy or shall be fitted with inherently buoyant material
which shall not be adversely affected by seawater, oil or oil products, sufficient to float the lifeboat with
all its equipment on board when flooded and open to the sea. Additional inherently buoyant material,
equal to 280 N of buoyant force per person shall be provided for the number of persons the lifeboat is
permitted to accommodate. Buoyant material, unless in addition to that required above, shall not be
installed external to the hull of the lifeboat.

4.4.5 Lifeboat freeboard and stability

4.4.5.1 All lifeboats shall be stable and have a positive GM value when loaded with 50% of the number
of persons the lifeboat is permitted to accommodate in their normal positions to one side of the centreline.

4.4.5.2 Under the condition of loading in paragraph 4.4.5.1:

.1 each lifeboat with side openings near the gunwale shall have a freeboard, measured from
the waterline to the lowest opening through which the lifeboat may become flooded, of at
least 1.5% of the lifeboat's length or 100 mm, whichever is the greater; and

.2 each lifeboat without side openings near the gunwale shall not exceed an angle of heel of
20 and shall have a freeboard, measured from the waterline to the lowest opening
through which the lifeboat may become flooded, of at least 1.5% of the lifeboat's length
or 100 mm, whichever is the greater.

4.4.6 Lifeboat propulsion

4.4.6.1 Every lifeboat shall be powered by a compression ignition engine. No engine shall be used for