Government of Bermuda Department of Maritime Administration 2012-016 BERMUDA SHIPPING NOTICE Servicing and Testing of Life-Saving Appliances, their release and retrieval systems including On-load Release Hooks, Guidance on Freefall Lifeboats and Fall Preventer Devices This notice is intended for Ship Owners, Managers, Masters and Officers, Surveyors, authorised Classification Societies and applicable Service Companies, and applies to all vessels The notice supersedes Bermuda Circulars ROSC.23, 27 and 28 which have now been withdrawn Summary This notice should be read in conjunction with: Merchant Shipping Act 2002 as amended Merchant Shipping (Life-saving Appliance for Ships Other Than Ships of Classes III to VI (A)) Regulations 1999 as amended Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Chapter III as amended This notice provides information from the 89th session of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 89) held in May 2011 where a number of amendments to Chapter III of SOLAS were adopted affecting lifeboat release systems The Committee also adopted several guidelines on the subject This notice also sets out the scope of the changes – which will affect both existing ships and new ships, and will require action by shipowners and managers in the near future The notice provides for: • • • • • • Requirements for Annual Inspection and testing of Life Saving Appliances and release and retrieval systems Authorised Service providers for Lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear Five Yearly overhaul and 110% dynamic testing Servicing of Inflatable Life-rafts, Inflatable Boats, Rescue Boats, Fast Rescue Boats, Inflatable Lifejackets and Hydrostatic Releases Guidance on Drills involving Free Fall Lifeboats Notes on Fall Preventer Devices Requirements for annual inspection and testing of life saving appliances and release and retrieval systems Launching appliances are required by SOLAS Chapter III, regulation 20.11 to be maintained on board in accordance with the instructions for on-board maintenance They are subjected to an annual thorough examination by an authorised service provider and every five years or when the release gear is overhauled, to a dynamic test at 110% of full load by an authorised service provider The requirement for the annual thorough examination includes a dynamic test of the brake mechanism at full lowering speed with the full weight of the boat and equipment but without persons Page of The annual thorough examination and test should to be completed at the annual Cargo Ship Safety Equipment survey or the Passenger Ship Safety survey as appropriate The Department of Maritime Administration (DMA) will accept evidence of the examination and test having been completed within the month “window” before the due date of the safety equipment survey In each case the records and reports of the examination and test should be available on board for the surveyor conducting the survey for his verification The full details of the scope of the annual thorough examination and test are contained in MSC.1/Circ.1206/Rev.1 dated 11 June 2009 Authorised Service providers for lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear The conducting of Cargo Ship Safety Equipment surveys on Bermuda ships is delegated to the Classification Societies recoginsed by the Bermuda Administration For the annual and five yearly examinations and tests on the above appliances for cargo ships the authorised service provider should be a company which is authorised by either an IMO “White Listed” Flag State or by a classification society Where the manufacturer of the equipment is no longer in business or no longer providing technical support the use of Independent Lifeboat Servicing and Testing organisations can be permitted where they have suitable experience of similar equipment Additionally organisations included in the UK’s approved list of Independent Lifeboats Servicing and Testing Organisations (ILSTO) can be used In cases of doubt reference can be made to the Administration The conducting of Passenger Ship Safety surveys remains the responsibility of the Maritime Administration For passenger ships it will be necessary to show that the organisation conducting the annual thorough examination and tests including the yearly tests is approved by the manufacturer of the above equipment for this purpose, and is accepted as per the paragraph above Five yearly overhaul and 110% dynamic testing In addition to the annual thorough examination and test, SOLAS requires that the on-load release and retrieval system is overhauled every five years and the launching appliance and the release system is dynamically tested at 110% of full load The overhaul of the on-load release and retrieval system should be carried out by an authorised service provider for the make of system in use In general these tests should be witnessed by either a Bermuda surveyor, a Classification Society surveyor or another person authorised by the Marine Administration for this purpose It is recommended that the weight of the lifeboat with its fuel, stores and equipment, is checked before the test Recent tests have shown that some boats have a considerable increase in weight since manufacture The test may be conducted by loading the boat in its swung out position with water bags or equivalent to achieve the computed 110% loading and then completing the test, or it may be done by testing the boat and hooks separately from the launching appliances If the former method is used, the loading of the boat should be undertaken with great care ensuring that no person enters the boat in the final stages of loading The loaded boat is then allowed to drop at full speed and the brake is suddenly applied If space permits the test is repeated and the boat then lowered to a point where the keel is just Page of touching the water In this position, personnel can board the boat and operate the on-load release system This test should show the release of both hooks simultaneously If the boat and launching appliance are to be tested separately it will be necessary to provide equipment that can simulate the full computed 110% load divided between the two hooks equally and show that both hooks release simultaneously under that full load For the launching appliance, the procedure is the same as for the loaded boat but it can be done using water bags or similar, and a strain gauge or equivalent to measure the applied load In each case the attending surveyor witnessing the test should complete an examination of the equipment following the test and if satisfied he should issue a certificate stating the loads used and the results of the test Servicing Of Inflatable Life-rafts, Inflatable Boats, Rescue Boats, Fast Rescue Boats, Inflatable Lifejackets and Hydrostatic Releases 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 • Under the provisions of the following Regulations, all inflatable life-rafts, boats, rescue boats, fast rescue boats, inflatable lifejackets and hydrostatic release units carried on Bermuda registered ships are required to be regularly serviced at an approved service station: Regulation 11(7) of the Merchant Shipping (Life-Saving Appliances for Passenger Ships of Classes III to VI (A)) Regulations 1999 4.2 Approved Service Stations 4.2.1 Equipment listed in paragraph 4.1.1 should be serviced annually by an approved service station, and every effort should be made to ensure that it is carried out In circumstances where it is impracticable to comply with the annual servicing requirement, the servicing may be deferred for a period not exceeding months, as per SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 20.8.1 In such cases, masters or owners should apply for an extension to the DMA explaining the reason in writing for seeking deferment 4.2.2 An 'approved service station' is formally appointed by the manufacturer of a Life-raft, boat or inflatable lifejacket and has been accepted by the DMA It has certificated personnel who have been trained to undertake servicing and repairs, and also to repack inflatable life-rafts ready for operational use It carries genuine spares and is kept fully informed of the current servicing procedures by the approved manufacturer 4.2.3 At every biennial servicing or servicing referred to in paragraph 4.3.1, of a davit launched inflatable life-raft, inflatable boat or inflatable rescue boat, a 10% overload static load test is to be carried out with the life-raft or boat suspended from its lifting hook or bridle, in accordance with the manufacturer’s approved servicing instructions 4.3 Exceptions 4.3.1 The DMA may except a particular equipment from the annual servicing requirement and accept servicing intervals up to 30 months, provided, a) The equipment is specially packed, and, b) Special packing systems have been designed and developed by the relevant manufacturers, and these ensure that the life-rafts can; (i) Be operated using the normal control lines, and, Page of (ii) Remain protected throughout the extended servicing interval within a hermetically sealed membrane which resists water vapour transmission Under the provisions of SOLAS 1974 Chapter III, regulations 20.8.3 and 20.8.5, the DMA has notified IMO of the arrangements accepted on Bermuda Registered ships 4.4 Hydrostatic Release Units (HRUs) 4.4.1 There have been incidences of incorrectly installed HRUs resulting in a compromise of the float-free arrangements of the life-raft After servicing of the life-raft and HRUs, they should be installed strictly in accordance with the approved manufacturer's instructions Details of the correct installation procedure of the HRU to the life-raft should be provided with each unit supplied Requirements for onboard stowage of inflatable life-rafts together with hydrostatic release units are contained in the UK Marine Guidance Note MGN 343 (M+F) 4.5 Marking of Stowage of LSA 4.5.1 Containers, brackets, racks, and other similar stowage locations for life-saving equipment, shall be marked with symbols in accordance with the recommendations of the Organization indicating the devices stowed in that location for that purpose If more than one device is stowed in that location, the number of devices shall also be indicated 4.6 Other Information 4.6.1 Internationally, through the provisions of SOLAS 1974, National Administrations are responsible for the approval of servicing stations for inflatable LSA located within their jurisdictions irrespective of whether or not that particular administration has approved the subject product Page of GUIDANCE ON THE DRILLS INVOLVING FREE-FALL LIFEBOATS 1.0 There has been a recent amendment to SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 19.3.3.4, as a result the requirements for the testing of free-fall lifeboats have been changed This change is reflected in the amended paragraph of the above regulation as follows SOLAS Chapter III, Part B, Regulation 19.3.3.4 states: “In the case of a lifeboat arranged for free-fall launching, at least once every three months during an abandon ship drill the crew shall board the lifeboat, properly secure themselves in their seats and commence the launch procedure up to but not including the actual release of the lifeboat (i.e., the release hook shall not be released) The lifeboat shall then either be free-fall launched with only the required operating crew on board, or lowered into the water by means of the secondary means of launching without the operating crew on board In both cases the lifeboat shall thereafter be maneuvered in the water by the operating crew At intervals of not more than six months, the lifeboat shall either be launched by free-fall with only the operating crew on board, or simulated launching shall be carried out in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Organization.” 2.0 In view of the above the Bermuda Administration requires the following: 2.1 Abandon ship drills shall be conducted each month in accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s instructions so that all persons who enter a boat in an emergency are trained to embark the boat, to take their seats in a correct way, to use the safety belts and are instructed on how to act during launching into the sea; and 2.2 Free-fall Lifeboat equipped for simulated launching 2.2.1 On the third and ninth month, during abandon ship drills, a simulated launch shall be carried out with the operating crew on board in accordance with the provisions of the Appendix to MSC 1206; and 2.2.2 On the sixth month, the lifeboat shall be lowered to the water without personnel on board, then manned by the operating crew and maneuvered in the water; or 2.3 Free-fall Lifeboat NOT equipped for simulated launching 2.3.1 On the third, sixth and ninth month, during abandon ship drills, the lifeboat should be lowered to the water without personnel on board, then manned by the operating crew and maneuvered in the water; and 2.4 All Free-fall Lifeboats: At the twelfth month, ALL free-fall lifeboats shall be released to free-fall with the minimum operating crew on board in accordance with the provisions of the Annex of MSC 1206, and then maneuvered in the water Page of THE FOLLOWING TABLES WILL ASSIST IN INTERPRETING THE ABOVE INFORMATION Freefall Lifeboat equipped for Simulated Launching Monthly The Crew shall be: shown how to embark the boat X shown how to take their seats in the X correct way, shown how to use the safety belts X instructed on how to act during X launching into the sea Simulated Launch carried out with operating crew Boat lowered to water without crew onboard then manned by operating crew and maneuvered in water Released to free fall with minimum operating crew onboard months months months 12 months X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Freefall Lifeboat NOT equipped for Simulated Launching Monthly months The Crew shall be: shown how to embark the boat X X shown how to take their seats in the X X correct way, shown how to use the safety belts X X instructed on how to act during X X launching into the sea Boat lowered to water without crew X onboard then manned by operating crew and maneuvered in water Released to free fall with minimum operating crew onboard months months 12 months X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Standard Lifeboats Lifeboat turned out from stowed position, without persons onboard to demonstrate satisfactory operation (Cargo ships) Lifeboat turned out from stowed position, without persons onboard to demonstrate satisfactory operation (All ships) Lifeboat launched and maneuvered in water with operating crew (All ships) Weekly X Monthly months months months 12 months X X X X X Page of FALL PREVENTER DEVICES (FPD’s) For guidance on FPD’s please refer to the UK Marine Guidance Note MGN 445 (M+F), a summary of which is contained below New requirements from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), have introduced standards for all Lifeboat Release and Retrieval Systems (LRRS), including those installed on existing ships Existing systems that not comply with the revised LSA Code as per SOLAS III/1.5 must be replaced by the first scheduled dry-docking after July 2014, and not later than July 2019 The DMA strongly urges that all Bermuda vessels fitted with lifeboat on-load release systems be fitted with fall preventer devices (FPD) pending the evaluation of the systems for compliance with the requirements of the revised LSA Code Prior to the fitting FPD’s, the original approving authority of the launching gear should be consulted to ascertain whether the fitting of FPD’s to the approved launching gear is acceptable This notice is only applicable to davit-launched lifeboats fitted with on-load release hooks FPDs should be fitted in accordance with MSC.1/Circ.1327 ‘Guidelines for the fitting and use of fall preventer devices (FPDs)’ More Information Department of Maritime Administration 3rd Floor, Global House 43 Church Street Hamilton, HM12 Bermuda Tel: +1 441 295 7251 Fax: +1 441 295 3718 e-mail: survey.bermudashipping@gov.bm 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