Abandon Ship Procedures and Life Rafts

TL;DR — Inflatable liferafts equipped with SOLAS A or B packs must be stowed to float free and auto-inflate if the vessel sinks, using an approved hydrostatic release unit; all survival craft required for abandonment must be launchable with a full complement within 10 minutes (cargo vessels) or 30 minutes (passenger vessels) of the abandon-ship signal.

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What the Rule Says

Stowage Requirements

The foundational stowage obligation applies across vessel types: each inflatable liferaft required to carry a SOLAS A or SOLAS B equipment pack must be stowed so as to float free and automatically inflate in the event the vessel sinks. 46 CFR §28.125 Every inflatable liferaft, inflatable buoyant apparatus, and any auxiliary craft used in their place must be kept readily accessible for launching or stowed to float free. 46 CFR §28.125

For vessels subject to the more detailed stowage regime, each survival craft must be stowed as close to accommodation and service spaces as possible, as near the water surface as is safe and practicable, and in a secure, sheltered position protected from fire and explosion as far as practicable. 46 CFR §199.130 Stowage must not interfere with the embarkation or operation of any other survival craft or rescue boat at any other launching station. 46 CFR §199.130

Except for liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching, survival craft must be stowed not less than 2 meters above the waterline with the vessel in the fully loaded condition, under unfavorable trim, and listed up to 20 degrees either way or to the angle at which the weatherdeck edge becomes submerged, whichever is less. 46 CFR §199.130 Two crew members must be able to complete preparations for embarkation and launching in less than 5 minutes. 46 CFR §199.130

Survival craft must not require lifting from the stowed position to launch, with two narrow exceptions: a davit-launched liferaft may be lifted by a manually powered winch from its stowed position to its embarkation position, and a survival craft weighing 185 kilograms (407.8 pounds) or less may be lifted not more than 300 millimeters (1 foot). 46 CFR §199.130

Liferaft-Specific Stowage Details

Each liferaft must be stowed to permit manual release from its securing arrangements and must not be stowed higher than the maximum stowage height marked on the container. A liferaft without an indicated maximum stowage height must be stowed not more than 18 meters (59 feet) above the waterline in the vessel's lightest seagoing condition. 46 CFR §199.130

Each liferaft must be arranged to drop into the water from the deck on which it is stowed — accomplished by positioning it outboard of the rail or bulwark, on stanchions or a platform adjacent to the rail or bulwark, or behind a gate or opening large enough to push it directly overboard. 46 CFR §199.130 Every liferaft must have a painter system connecting it to the vessel, and every liferaft or group of liferafts must be arranged for float-free launching so that, when released and inflated, the liferaft is not dragged under by the sinking vessel. 46 CFR §199.130

Hydrostatic Release Units and Float-Free Links

Any hydrostatic release unit (HRU) used in a float-free arrangement must be approved under approval series 160.162 (for vessels under 46 CFR Part 199) 46 CFR §199.130 or under part 160, subpart 160.062 (for vessels under 46 CFR Part 28). 46 CFR §28.125 Float-free links used with buoyant apparatus or life floats must be certified to meet part 160, subpart 160.073. 46 CFR §28.125

Launching Appliances

A launching appliance or marine evacuation system must be provided for each inflatable liferaft and inflatable buoyant apparatus when the embarkation station is on a deck more than 4.5 meters (15 feet) above the waterline, or when the liferaft is boarded prior to being placed in the water. 46 CFR §180.150 An embarkation ladder must be provided at each embarkation station where the distance from the embarkation deck to the vessel's lightest operating waterline exceeds 3,050 millimeters (10 feet). 46 CFR §180.150

Each launching appliance for a davit-launched liferaft must include an automatic disengaging apparatus approved under 46 CFR part 160, subpart 160.170. 46 CFR §180.150 46 CFR §199.150 The appliance must be either a davit approved under subpart 160.132 with a winch approved under subpart 160.115, or a launching appliance approved on or before November 10, 2011 under approval series 160.163. 46 CFR §199.150

Launching appliances must be capable of safely launching the fully equipped survival craft against unfavorable trim of up to 10 degrees either way and list of up to 20 degrees either way, both with a full complement and with only the required operating crew aboard. 46 CFR §199.150 Critically, a launching appliance must not depend on any means other than gravity or stored mechanical power, independent of the vessel's power supplies, to launch the survival craft. 46 CFR §199.150 The structural attachment to the vessel must be designed to withstand at least 4.5 times the load imparted under the most adverse combination of list and trim. 46 CFR §199.150

Launch Time Requirements

For passenger vessels subject to 46 CFR Part 199, all survival craft required for abandonment must be capable of being launched with their full complement within 30 minutes of the abandon-ship signal. 46 CFR §199.245 For cargo vessels subject to 46 CFR §199.280, the requirement is more stringent: all required survival craft must be launched with their full complement within 10 minutes of the abandon-ship signal. 46 CFR §199.280 Cargo vessels of 20,000 gross tons or more must carry lifeboats capable of being launched with the vessel making headway at speeds up to 5 knots in calm water. 46 CFR §199.280

Drills and Training

The master must conduct sufficient drills and give sufficient instructions so that all crew members are familiar with their duties during abandon-ship and man-overboard emergencies. 46 CFR §185.520 Each abandon-ship drill must include summoning the crew to assigned stations, summoning passengers on overnight voyages to muster or embarkation stations, checking that life jackets are correctly donned, operating any davits used for launching liferafts, and instruction on automatic and manual deployment of survival craft. 46 CFR §185.520 Every drill must, as far as practicable, be conducted as if there were an actual emergency. 46 CFR §185.520

For vessels under Part 199, every crewmember must participate in at least one abandon-ship drill and one fire drill every month. If more than 25 percent of the crew have not participated in drills on that particular vessel in the previous month, drills must take place within 24 hours of leaving port. 46 CFR §199.180 Onboard training in the use of davit-launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 4 months. 46 CFR §199.180 For vessels under Part 185, onboard training in the use of davit-launched liferafts must take place at intervals of not more than 3 months. 46 CFR §185.520

Rescue boats (under Part 185) must be launched with their assigned crew and maneuvered in the water once each month if reasonable and practicable, but at least once within a 3-month period before the vessel gets underway with passengers. 46 CFR §185.520 Under Part 199, rescue boats must be launched and maneuvered at least once every 3 months. 46 CFR §199.180

All abandon-ship and man-overboard drills and training must be logged. The entry must include the date of the drill and a general description of the drill scenario and training topics. 46 CFR §185.520 Under Part 199, logbook entries must also identify the survival craft and fire-extinguishing equipment used, any inoperative or malfunctioning equipment and corrective action taken, crewmembers participating, and the subject of any training session. 46 CFR §199.180

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Why It Matters on the Exam

Exam questions on this topic test three clusters of knowledge: stowage specifications (heights, float-free arrangements, HRU approval series), launch time limits (10 vs. 30 minutes, and which vessel type each applies to), and drill frequency (monthly crew drills, 3-month vs. 4-month davit-liferaft training intervals, rescue boat launch intervals). Confusing the 10-minute cargo vessel requirement with the 30-minute passenger vessel requirement is a reliable wrong-answer trap. Similarly, candidates frequently confuse the HRU approval series (160.062 under Part 28 vs. 160.162 under Part 199) and the davit-liferaft training interval (3 months under Part 185 vs. 4 months under Part 199). The independence-of-power requirement for launching appliances — gravity or stored mechanical power only — is a frequently tested detail that candidates overlook.

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Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1 — Mixing up launch time limits. The 10-minute requirement applies to cargo vessels under 46 CFR §199.280; the 30-minute requirement applies under 46 CFR §199.245. Do not apply the cargo vessel standard to passenger vessels or vice versa.

Pitfall 2 — Confusing HRU approval series. Under 46 CFR §28.125, the HRU must be approved under subpart 160.062. Under 46 CFR §199.130, the HRU must be approved under approval series 160.162. These are different approval series for different regulatory regimes.

Pitfall 3 — Davit-liferaft training interval. Under 46 CFR §185.520, the interval is not more than 3 months. Under 46 CFR §199.180, the interval is not more than 4 months. The Part 185 (small passenger vessel) interval is shorter.

Pitfall 4 — Launching appliance power source. A launching appliance must rely only on gravity or stored mechanical power independent of the vessel's power supplies. 46 CFR §199.150 Candidates sometimes assume shore power or ship's service power is acceptable as a backup — it is not.

Pitfall 5 — Embarkation ladder trigger height. A launching appliance is required when the embarkation station is more than 4.5 meters (15 feet) above the waterline. An embarkation ladder is required when the distance exceeds 3,050 millimeters (10 feet). These are two different thresholds triggering two different requirements. 46 CFR §180.150

Pitfall 6 — Stowage height for liferafts without marked limits. When no maximum stowage height is marked on the container, the liferaft must be stowed not more than 18 meters (59 feet) above the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition. 46 CFR §199.130

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Quick Check

Q1 — What is the maximum time allowed to launch all required survival craft with a full complement on a cargo vessel after the abandon-ship signal is given?

10 minutes. 46 CFR §199.280

Q2 — What is the maximum time allowed to launch all required survival craft with a full complement on a passenger vessel (Part 199) after the abandon-ship signal is given?

30 minutes. 46 CFR §199.245

Q3 — A liferaft stowed under 46 CFR Part 199 has no maximum stowage height marked on its container. What is the maximum permissible stowage height above the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition?

18 meters (59 feet). 46 CFR §199.130

Q4 — Under 46 CFR Part 185, how frequently must onboard training in the use of davit-launched liferafts take place?

At intervals of not more than 3 months. 46 CFR §185.520

Q5 — What power source may a launching appliance rely upon to launch a survival craft?

Gravity or stored mechanical power, independent of the vessel's power supplies. No other means is permitted. 46 CFR §199.150

Q6 — At what deck height above the waterline does a launching appliance become required for an inflatable liferaft under 46 CFR §180.150?

When the embarkation station is on a deck more than 4.5 meters (15 feet) above the waterline, or when the liferaft is boarded prior to being placed in the water. 46 CFR §180.150

Q7 — Under 46 CFR Part 199, what must a logbook entry for an abandon-ship drill include?

The date and time of the drill; the survival craft and fire-extinguishing equipment used; identification of inoperative or malfunctioning equipment and corrective action taken; identification of crewmembers participating; and the subject of any onboard training session. 46 CFR §199.180

Q8 — How many crew members must be able to complete preparations for embarkation and launching of a survival craft, and within what time limit?

Two crew members must be able to complete preparations in less than 5 minutes. 46 CFR §199.130