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MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE

MGN 71 (M)

Summary

This note and annex provides guidance to the relevant requirements in the Regulations listed inparagraph 1 in respect of:

1. muster lists, the holding of musters and drills and the provision of on-board training andinstruction in the use of fire and life-saving appliances, and the provision of a Decision SupportSystem to Masters of certain passenger ships;

2. the provision of training manuals, and for the manning of survival craft and handling oflaunching arrangements; and

3. the closing of openings in the hull and in watertight bulkheads.

Musters, drills, on-board training and instructions,and Decision Support SystemsNotice to Owners, Masters, Officers and Ratings

This Note Replaces Marine Guidance Note MGN 17 (M) and should be read in association withMGN 5 and MGN 6.

1. The statutory requirements primarilyassociated with the recommendations andguidance in the Annex to this Notice areprescribed in the following Regulations:

(a) The Merchant Shipping (MustersTraining and Decision Support Systems)Regulations 1999 (SI.1999 No.2722) whichcontains requirements in respect ofmuster lists, the holding of musters anddrills and the provision of on-boardtraining and instruction in the use of fireand lifesaving appliances, and theprovision of a Decision Support System toMasters of certain passenger ships;

(b) The Merchant Shipping (Life-SavingAppliances for Ships Other Than Ships ofClasses III to VI(A)) Regulations 1999(SI.1999 No.2721), and the MerchantShipping (Life-saving Appliances forPassenger Ships of Classes III to VI(A))

Regulations 1999 (SI.1999 No.2723), whichcontain requirements in respect of theprovision of training manuals, and for themanning of survival craft and handling oflaunching arrangements; and

(c) The Merchant Shipping (PassengerShip Construction: Ships of Classes I, IIand II(A)) Regulations 1998 (SI.1998No.2514) which contain requirements inrespect of the closing of openings in thehull and in watertight bulkheads.

2. The Regulations referred to insubparagraphs 1(a) and (b) above implement the1983 and 1988 and 1996 Amendments to ChapterIII of the International Convention for the Safety ofLife at Sea 1974. One of the principal objectives ofthe 1983 Amendments to the Convention was toprescribe minimum standards of training andinstruction, in particular on-board training in theuse of ship’s fire appliances, ship’s life-saving

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appliances including launching and embarkationequipment, in methods of survival and in the useof personal protective equipment. An essentialpart of such training and instruction involvesparticipation in periodic practice musters anddrills. The 1996 Amendment introduced therequirement for Decision Support Systems forMasters of certain passenger ships.

3. The purpose of this Note and its Annex isto draw attention to relevant requirements in theRegulations listed in paragraph 1 and to specifyhow such requirements should be met.

MSPP2cMaritime and Coastguard AgencySpring Place105 Commercial RoadSouthamptonS015 1EG

Tel: 01703 329184Fax: 01703 329204

October 1999

MS 050/005/0005

© Crown Copyright 1999An executive agency of the Department of the

Environment, Transport and the Regions

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ANNEX

Section CONTENTS

1 Application

2 Muster Lists

3 Emergency Instructions

4 Emergency Signals

5 Musters and Drills - General

6 Abandon Ship Drills

7 Fire and other Emergency Drills

8 Drills in Closing of Doors, SideScuttles and Other Openings

9 Survival Craft Muster and Drill

10 Survival Craft Drills held in Port

11 Rescue Boat and EmergencyBoat Drills

12 Davit-Launched LiferaftOn-Board Training

13 On-Board Instruction, Training andTraining Manuals

14 Weekly and Monthly Inspectionof LSA

15 Decision Support Systems

16 Records

1 Application

1.1 Except where otherwise specified thecontents of this Annex are addressed to ships ofClasses I, II, II(A), III, VII, VII(A), VII(T), VIII,VIII(T), VIII(A), VIII(A)(T) and IX and to ships ofClass XI engaged on international voyages.

2 Muster Lists

2.1 The requirements relating to muster listsapply to ships engaged on international voyagesand to passenger ships of Classes II(A) and III.The Master is responsible for compiling themuster list, keeping it up to date and ensuringthat copies are exhibited in conspicuous places

throughout the ship, including the navigatingbridge, engineroom and crew accommodation.The format of muster lists for ships of Classes I, II,II(A) and III must be approved by the Maritimeand Coastguard Agency (MCA).

2.2 In ships with significant numbers of non-English speaking crew members, the muster listshould include translations into the appropriatelanguage or languages.

2.3 The muster list must contain details of thegeneral emergency alarm and other emergencysignals and the action to be taken by the crew andpassengers in respect of the former, and by thecrew in respect of the latter. Where appropriate,communication equipment, channels andreporting chain to be used during anabandonment or other emergency should bespecified. The means by which the order toabandon ship is to be given must also beincluded.

2.4 The muster list must show the duties tobe carried out by each member of the ship’scomplement in an emergency. Such dutiesinclude the preparation, swinging out ordeploying of survival craft and other life-savingappliances, the closing of watertight and firedoors, and all other openings such as skylights,portholes and side scuttles and any openings inthe hull. Duties in connection with fire-fighting,the use of communication equipment and theequipping of survival craft must also be shown.

2.5 Where passengers are carried dutiesinclude warning and assembling passengers,controlling their movement, seeing that they aresuitably clad and wearing their lifejacketscorrectly or, where appropriate, distributing andassisting with the donning of lifejackets, and,where carried, taking a supply of blankets to thesurvival craft.

2.6 In assigning crew members to assistpassengers in emergency situations on ships ofClasses I, II, II(A) and III masters should ensurethat all such personnel have received instructionin crowd management.

2.7 As far as practicable each individualshould only be allocated one duty, or series ofduties related to one emergency party. Onpassenger ships key persons who would be last toabandon ship should not be allocated to thosesurvival craft which are expected to be the first tobe launched.

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2.8 When the muster list is compiledconsideration should be given to the eventualityof key persons being unable to carry out theiremergency duties through injury or for someother reason, and provision made for substitutes.This provision must be shown on the muster listand may be a detailed list or in the form of ageneral statement such as “Should key personsbecome disabled, those next in line, asappropriate, should take their place”. Whenallocating substitutes care should be exercised toensure that emergency parties are not left withouta leader or seriously undermanned.

2.9 The survival craft or launching station towhich each crew member is assigned should beshown on the muster list.

2.10 In assigning crew members to mansurvival craft and handle launching appliances onships engaged on international voyages and onpassenger ships of Classes II(A) and III, theMaster should take account of Merchant ShippingNotice MSN 1682 (M).

2.11 A deck officer or certificated person mustbe placed in charge of each survival craft to beused and a deck officer or certificated personmust be assigned as second-in-command of alifeboat. In ships of Classes II, II(A) and III aperson practiced in the handling and operation ofliferafts may be placed in charge of a liferaft inlieu of a deck officer or certificated person. Theperson in charge of the survival craft shall have alist of the survival craft crew and shall see that thecrew under his command are acquainted withtheir duties. In lifeboats the second-in-commandshall also have a list of the lifeboat crew.

2.12 A motor lifeboat must have a personassigned to it who is capable of operating theengine and carrying out minor adjustments. Thisperson may be the coxswain if it is possible tooperate the engine and steer the lifeboat from oneposition. A lifeboat with a radio installation andeach survival craft in which are placed emergencyposition-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), radartransponders (SARTs), or two-way radio-telephone sets is required to have a personassigned to it who is capable of operating suchequipment.

2.13 The muster list must show the name orrank of the officers whose duty is to ensure thatthe life-saving and fire-fighting appliances aremaintained in such condition as to be alwaysready for use.

2.14 In passenger ships, the location of thepassenger assembly or muster station (asappropriate) must be indicated in the muster list.As far as practicable, public rooms will beallocated as assembly or muster station (asappropriate) in order that passengers areprotected from the elements prior to theirdeparture for the survival craft if the ship has tobe abandoned.

2.15 The master shall ensure the equitabledistribution of persons referred to in paragraph2.6, 2.10 and 2.11 among the ship’s survival craft.

3 Emergency Instructions

3.1 In ships engaged on internationalvoyages and in passenger ships of Classes II(A)and III, each crew member must be provided withclear instructions to be followed in the event of anemergency, eg in the form of a card showing theassembly or muster station (as appropriate)station, emergency duty and the lifeboat or liferaftto which he is allocated. In ships with significantnumbers of non-English speaking crew membersemergency instructions should be provided in theappropriate language or languages. The card orother means should describe the generalemergency alarm signal and any other signals tobe used in an emergency and the action, if any, tobe taken on hearing such signals. The means bywhich the order to abandon ship is to be givenshould also be included.

3.2 Emergency instructions, illustrated wherepossible, must be displayed in each passengercabin, in passenger assembly or muster station (asappropriate) stations and in other passengerspaces. Such instructions, in English and in anyother language appropriate to the principalnationalities carried on the route on which theship is operating, are to inform passengers of theirassembly or muster station (as appropriate)stations, essential actions they should take onhearing the general emergency alarm signal andany other signal requiring action on their part,and the method of donning lifejackets. Thelocation of lifejackets should be included in theseinstructions. Safety information to be provided topassengers is detailed in Merchant ShippingNotices M.1386 (to be replaced by MGN 73) andM.1409 (to be replaced by MGN 74).

4 Emergency Signals

4.1 The general emergency alarm signal isthe signal for summoning the crew and

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passengers, if any, to their assembly or musterstation (as appropriate) stations and for initiatingthe actions shown in the muster list. This signalconsists of seven or more short blasts followed byone long blast sounded on the ship’s whistle orsiren and on a bell, klaxon or similar warningsystem on ships required to be provided withsuch systems.

4.2 On a cargo ship with a fire alarm systemwhich can be manually activated from locationswithin the accommodation or where a systemsuch as a fire or smoke detection systemautomatically activates alarms throughout theship, the signal made by such means may be usedto summon the crew to their muster stations. Suchalarm signal should be accompanied by thegeneral emergency alarm signal sounded on thewhistle or siren.

4.3 Signals for incidents not requiring amuster of the passengers or of the whole crew, orfor dealing with a minor incident, are at theMaster’s discretion.

4.4 On a cargo ship a signal may be allocatedto summon the crew to survival craft embarkationstations only, for the purpose of a drill ormustering the crew at the survival craftembarkation stations during an emergency.

4.5 The means by which the order toabandon ship is given is at the Master’s discretionand may be by a signal or by word of mouth, butarrangements should be such that everyone onboard including those in emergency parties inremote locations will receive it.

4.6 All signals must be described in themuster list, in the crew emergency instructionsand, as appropriate, in the emergency instructionsfor passengers.

4.7 The relevant signals referred to in thissection should be used when musters and drillsare to be conducted. All persons on board shouldbe notified beforehand that a practice muster ordrill is about to be held.

5 Musters and Drills - General

5.1 An abandon ship drill consists of amuster of the crew (and of passengers, ifappropriate) at the stations referred to in themuster list, and a muster and drill at survivalcraft stations. Where practicable, passengers onClass I passenger ships should be strongly

encouraged to attend abandon ship drills. It isrecommended that a fire drill be heldsimultaneously with the first stage of the abandonship drill. Drills for emergencies other than fire,eg collision, damage control, grounding, cargo orbunker spillage, rescue of personnel fromdangerous spaces, or medical treatment, may beconducted in lieu of or in addition to a fire drill,provided each crew member participates in atleast one fire drill each month. Whether a fire orother emergency drill is to be conducted, it maybe found useful on occasions to discussbeforehand, with those taking a direct part in thedrill, the object and execution of the drill in orderthat those taking part can derive the maximumbenefit from the drill. When planning proceduresand associated drills dealing with rescue ofpersonnel from dangerous spaces, account shouldbe taken of Chapters 16 and 17 of the Code of SafeWorking Practices for Merchant Seamen, 1998Edition.

5.2 Each crew member must participate in atleast one abandon ship drill and one fire drillevery month. These drills must be held within 24hours of leaving port if more than 25% of the crewhave not taken part in drills on board the ship inthe previous month. If circumstances are suchthat it is not practical to hold full drills within the24 hours then musters should be held within thisperiod and instructions given to crew memberson their emergency duties and on abandon shipprocedures, but in the case of Ro-Ro passengerferries these instructions should be given beforeany passenger carrying voyage is commenced.Full drills should be held as soon ascircumstances permit. In addition, in ships ofClasses I, II, II(A) and III, an abandon ship drilland a fire drill must be held weekly and as manyof the crew as practicable should take part inthese drills which should be so arranged that eachcrew member participates in at least one abandonship drill and one fire drill every month.

5.3 On any ship carrying passengers wherethe passengers are scheduled to be on board formore than 24 hours, a muster of the passengersmust take place within 24 hours of theirembarkation. Passengers must be giveninstruction in how to don their lifejackets and theaction to take on hearing the general emergencyalarm signal. If only a small number of passengersembark after the muster has been held, it will besufficient, instead of holding another, to draw theattention of these passengers to the emergencyinstructions referred to in paragraph 3.2.Similarly, on ships of Classes other than the above

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carrying passengers, if a muster of thepassengers is not held on departure, theirattention must be drawn to the emergencyinstructions referred to in paragraph 3.2. Thiscan be done by means of a broadcast on theship’s public address system or by direct oralannouncement.

5.4 It should be drawn to the attention of thepassengers that the general emergency alarmsignal is for the purpose of summoning them totheir assembly or muster station (as appropriate)stations and is not a signal to abandon ship. Themeans by which the order to abandon ship will begiven should be explained. The importance ofbeing properly clad, of proceeding to theirassembly or muster station (as appropriate)station in an orderly fashion, and of followinginstructions at all times should be emphasised.Where appropriate they should be advised towhich type of survival craft they have beenallocated, and how they will be embarked. Theyshould be advised that only as a last resort will itbe necessary to jump into the water. They shouldbe informed of the dangers of jumping overboard,particularly from heights in excess of 6 metresand advised that if it should be necessary to jumpinto the water, the lifejacket must be held downwith one hand and the nose protected with theother hand.

5.5 Lifejackets should be worn by passengersand crew when attending musters and drills.Crew members taking part in fire and otheremergency drills may remove their lifejackets ifthese would be a hindrance in the execution oftheir duties. Where lifejackets are removed, amember of the emergency party concernedshould be appointed to be responsible for theselifejackets and to ensure that they will beavailable for return to the members of anemergency party on completion of their relevanttasks. Where inherently buoyant lifejacketsunduly hinder crew members in the execution oftheir duties, consideration should be given to theprovision of inflatable lifejackets, although suchlifejackets are not always suitable for use bymembers of fire hose parties due to the possibilityof inadvertent activation of the automaticinflation system. Lifejackets should always beworn by members of survival craft preparationparties and at survival craft musters and drills.

5.6 On passenger ships consideration shouldbe given to the identification of crew members,particularly those whose duties are concerned

with passenger control. This can be achieved in avariety of ways, eg by the use of headgear,distinctive marking on lifejackets, loose coversworn over lifejackets, armbands, etc.

5.7 On passenger ships as many key personsas possible should carry two-way portable radiosduring musters and drills and such radios andany fixed two-way communication systemsshould be used for communications between thebridge, emergency control stations, assembly ormuster station (as appropriate) and embarkationstations, especially internal Marine EvacuationSystem (MES) embarkation stations. Where keypersons do not have a two-way portable radio onpermanent issue there should be arrangementswhereby radios can be readily obtained at theoutset of a drill or actual emergency. Whereportable loud hailers are carried these should beused where appropriate for communicating or forsimulating communicating with passengers atassembly or muster station (as appropriate) andembarkation stations. The arrangements forcommunication should be as recorded in musterlists and, where applicable, training manuals.

6 Abandon Ship Drills

6.1 The commencement of an abandon shipdrill is announced by the general emergencyalarm signal. Crew and passengers, if any, shouldproceed to their assembly or muster station (asappropriate) stations. Crew members allocated tothe handling of passengers should as appropriateclear or simulate the clearing of accommodationnot used for the mustering of passengers,marshall passengers taking part in the drill andcontrol the flow of passengers on the stairways, inpassages and doorways and guide them towardstheir assembly or muster station (as appropriate)stations. At the assembly or muster station (asappropriate) stations they should ensure thatpassengers have donned their lifejackets correctly,or give instruction in donning as appropriate, andthat child lifejackets are allocated to persons ofless than 32 Kg. Passengers should be advised onthe matters referred to in paragraph 5.4. Where aproportion of the survival craft consists ofthrowover liferafts boarded by means of ship’sside ladders provision should be made forallocating only able bodied passengers to theseliferafts. It should also be determined that crewmembers know how the order to abandon shipwill be announced, that they are suitably dressedand that their lifejackets have been donnedcorrectly.

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7 Fire and other Emergency Drills

7.1 A fire or other emergency drill shall as faras practicable be conducted as if it were an actualemergency.

7.2 A fire or other emergency drill should beheld simultaneously with the first stage of theabandon ship drill.

7.3 For the purpose of a fire drill an outbreakof fire should be assumed to have occurred insome part of the ship and fire control measuressimulated as appropriate. The complete co-operation of the personnel of all departments isessential in fire fighting. The type and position ofthe supposed fire should be varied from time totime and can include:

(1) Cargo fires in holds or otherspaces;

(2) Fires involving oil, gas or chemicalcargoes as appropriate;

(3) Fires in engine, pump or boilerrooms;

(4) Fires in crew or passengeraccommodation; and

(5) Fires in galleys due to burning oilor cooking fats.

7.4 The engine room staff should ensure thatthe fire pumps in the machinery spaces areprepared for operation, started, and that fullwater pressure is on the fire mains. Where there isan emergency fire pump situated outside themachinery space, this pump should be started upas indicated below. The fire party or parties at thescene of the assumed fire should lay out hosesand where practicable water should be playedthrough them, the water being supplied first fromthe machinery space pump and then from theemergency pump only, with the machinery spaceisolating valve closed. A number of portable fireextinguishers should be available and members ofthe fire party should be instructed in the use ofthe type of fire extinguisher for a particular typeof fire.

7.5 The crew should be exercised asappropriate in the closing of openings, ie sidescuttles, deadlights, doors, ventilating shafts, firedoors, the annular space around the funnel, etcboth to reduce the supply of air to a fire and

isolate it from other parts of the ship, especiallystairways and lift shafts. As many of the crew aspossible and particularly the officers should bemade familiar with the position of remotecontrols for ventilation fans, oil fuel pumps andoil tank valves and be instructed in the method ofoperation thereof.

7.6 Fixed installations for extinguishing fire,such as Halon, CO2, foam, or water spray in themachinery spaces, CO2, inert gas, steam ordrencher systems in the cargo spaces, andsprinkler systems in passenger accommodationtogether with fire alarm and detection systemsshould be tested with as much realism aspracticable. The fire party should also beexercised in the use of the breathing apparatusand protective clothing and such emergencyappliances as axes and safety lamps, whichshould be brought out, checked and deployed byappointed members of the party at all fire drills.Where the number of sets of breathing apparatuspermits, it is recommended that persons usingthem should practice in pairs.

7.7 It is important that members of the crewwho are not allocated to fire parties are familiarwith the use of and can identify the types of fireextinguisher they will encounter in theaccommodation and in their work areas. Suchcrew members should be instructed in the use ofthe type of extinguisher appropriate to the kind offire, eg those discharging water, foam, drypowder, CO2, etc.

7.8 At each fire drill at least one extinguishershould be discharged by a different crew memberin order that both crew members in fire partiesand other crew members gain experience in usingfire extinguishers. Crew members should also befamiliar with the location and means of activatingthe fire alarms in the accommodation and in theirworking areas. It is also important that all crewmembers and particularly those whose place ofwork is in a machinery space are familiar with theescape routes from any part of the ship they arelikely to be in when on or off duty. Suchfamiliarity should enable escape to be made indarkness or through smoke and should includefamiliarity with the location and the means ofopening any emergency escape windows orhatches.

7.9 All fire protection systems and appliancesshould at all times be in good order and availablefor immediate use during the voyage and in port.Compressed air bottles of breathing apparatus

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and fire extinguishers should be refilled after anydrill. Where refilling facilities are not available onboard additional equipment may be carried tofacilitate training. Discharged equipment shouldbe clearly marked and stored for refilling when inport. Equipment dedicated for training purposesshould be marked ‘for training purposes only’.

7.10 Participation in fire drills may notnecessarily imply direct involvement withfighting a fire and may include back-up to fireparties, being a member of the first aid party orcontrolling passengers at their assembly ormuster station (as appropriate) stations while thefire fighting part of the drill is being undertaken.On the other hand, on cargo ships with smallcrews it will usually be necessary for everymember of the crew to be familiar with all aspectsof fire-fighting and the use of all the fire-fightingequipment provided on board the ship.

7.11 Instruction should cover fire prevention,particularly in galleys, machinery spaces, cargocompartments, pumprooms and accommodationspaces. On-board instruction in fire-fighting issupplementary to training available at firefightingcourses ashore and is primarily concerned withthe particular equipment available on board andthe nature of on-board fire hazards.

7.12 To ensure the ready availability of fireprotection systems and appliances periodicchecks should be performed. The followingchecklist may be used as guidance for thispurpose.

7.12.1 Monthly testing and inspection should becarried out to ensure that:

(1) all firemans outfits, fireextinguishers, fire hydrants, hose andnozzles are in place and in serviceablecondition;

(2) all escape routes includingstairways and corridors are free ofobstructions and properly maintained;

(3) public address system and ship’salarms are serviceable;

(4) all fixed fire fighting installationvalves are set in the correct operationalposition;

(5) dry pipe sprinkler systems arepressurised, where appropriate, andgauges indicate correctly;

(6) sprinkler system pressure tankwater levels are correct as indicated byglass gauges;

(7) all sprinkler system pumps operateautomatically on pressure loss in thesystems;

(8) all fire pumps are operational; and

(9) all fixed gas fire extinguishinginstallations are free from leakage.

7.12.2 Quarterly testing and inspection shouldbe carried out to ensure that:

(1) all fire extinguishers are at correctpressure and are not due for servicing;

(2) all automatic alarms for sprinklersystems activate using the section testvalves;

(3) the international shore connectionis serviceable;

(4) fire fighting equipment lockerscontain their full inventory and theequipment they contain is in serviceablecondition; and

(5) all fire doors, fire dampers andclosing devices can be operated locally.

7.12.3 Annual testing and inspection should becarried out to ensure that:

(1) all fire doors, and ventilationdampers where appropriate, operateremotely;

(2) where practicable all aqueous foamand water spray fixed fire fightinginstallations operate correctly;

(3) all accessible components of fixedfire fighting systems, typically nozzles,are free from damage or obstruction onvisual inspection;

(4) all fire pumps, including sprinklersystem pumps, develop correct pressuresand flow rates;

(5) all hydrants operate;

(6) all antifreeze solutions are correctlymaintained and cross connection between

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fire main and sprinkler system operatescorrectly; and

(7) fixed fire detection systems operatecorrectly, according to manufacturers testinstructions.

7.13 Fire or other emergency drills should befollowed by the second stage of the abandon shipdrill ie the muster and drill at the survival craftstations. This stage of the abandon ship drillshould be announced by the abandon ship signalor by the particular means by which abandonship is announced, or by a signal used for thepurpose of summoning crew members to theirsurvival craft stations.

8 Drills in Closing of Doors, Side Scuttlesand Other Openings

8.1 In passenger ships, drills for practicingthe closing of watertight doors, deadlights,scuppers, ash-shutes, rubbish-shutes and othersimilar devices are required to be carried out tocomply with the Merchant Shipping (PassengerShip Construction: Ships of Classes I, II, and II(A))Regulations 1998, or the Merchant Shipping(Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes IIIto VI(A)) Regulations 1998. These Regulationsalso require inspections, at intervals of not morethan 7 days, of watertight doors and mechanisms,indicators and warning devices connected withsuch doors, valves, the closing of which isnecessary to make watertight any compartmentbelow the margin line, and valves, the operationof which is necessary for the efficient operation ofdamage-control cross-connections.

8.2 In all seagoing ships, with certainexceptions, the Merchant Shipping (MustersTraining and Decision Support Systems)Regulations 1999 require practice fire drills toinclude checking of the operation of watertightdoors, in the drill area.

8.3 Masters should familiarise themselveswith the Regulations referred to in paragraphs 8.1and 8.2, particularly in regard to the instruction ofcrew members in the safe operation of watertightdoors and to those watertight doors, side scuttles,deadlights and other devices required to besecurely closed before the ship proceeds to seaand to be kept securely closed while the ship is atsea.

Account should also be taken of the contents ofMerchant Shipping Notice M.1326 (to be replaced

by MGN 35 (M)) on the dangers associated withpower operated watertight doors, and of theInstructions for the Guidance of Surveyors(Passenger Ship Construction Classes I, II andII(A)) and (Passenger Ship Construction ClassesIII to VIA).

9 Survival Craft Muster and Drill

9.1 Crew members other than those whocannot be relieved from their normal dutiesshould muster, wearing lifejackets, at theirlifeboat and liferaft stations. The person in chargeof each survival craft must have a list of its crewand ensure that they are fully acquainted withtheir duties. The second-in-command of a lifeboatmust also have a list of the lifeboat crew.

9.1.1 On passenger ships, the lifeboatsused in the drill should wherepracticable, include some from each sideof the ship and should be distributed asto enable the crews of the other lifeboatsto watch the operations. Different groupsof lifeboats should be used at successivedrills.

9.1.2 In cargo ships provided withtotally enclosed lifeboats which areboarded and launched from the stowedposition, drills should periodicallyinclude the boarding of a lifeboat in itsstowed position in order that crewmembers can become practiced inboarding a boat rapidly, locating aseating position and using the seat belts.

9.1.3 In the case of other totally enclosedlifeboats equipped with seatbelts, crewmembers should be periodically drilled inusing the seatbelts but such lifeboatsshould not be boarded at the stowedposition by the full complement at anyone time. When a drill is being carriedout inside a totally enclosed lifeboat, crewmembers should also be made familiarwith the launching procedures and madeaware of what to expect when the engineand air support and water spray systems,where fitted, are in operation.

9.1.4 Arrangements should always bemade to ensure that those crew memberswho cannot be relieved from their dutiesto attend a particular drill can be relievedto attend the next drill.

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9.2 On passenger ships when the drill is heldat sea, a number of lifeboats should, if weatherand other circumstances permit and subject tooverriding safety constraints, be cleared, swungout, and lowered to embarkation deck level in thecase of lifeboats boarded at this position, and sideladders and embarkation arrangements prepared.On cargo ships at least one lifeboat should belowered when weather and other circumstancespermit.

9.3 Each lifeboat and rescue boat enginemust be tested by being run ahead and astern fora total period of not less than 3 minutes providedthat the engine can be safely run for this periodwhen out of the water and the ambienttemperature is above the minimum required forstarting the engine. Where lifeboats are fitted withmechanical hand-propelling gear, this gearshould be examined and tested ahead and astern.

9.4 Liferaft davits must be swung out andwinches operated.

9.5 Emergency lighting for mustering andabandonment must be tested at each such drill.

9.6 In cargo ships provided with lifeboatsand throwover liferafts some drills should includepreparation for abandonment involving use ofliferafts in conjunction with lifeboats. This mayinclude mustering at locations other than thoseused for embarkation into lifeboats

10 Survival Craft Drills Held in Port

10.1 When a drill is held in port as many aspossible of the lifeboats should be cleared, swungout and lowered. Each lifeboat must be launchedwith its assigned operating crew aboard andmanoeuvered in the water once every 3 monthsduring an abandon ship drill. In lifeboats notfitted with engines the crew should be exercisedin rowing or in the use of the mechanical hand-propelling gear. Every opportunity should betaken to test the lifeboat disengaging gear wherefitted.

10.2 If the berthing arrangements in port andthe trading patterns of ships of Classes II,II(A),VIII or VIII(A) make the launching oflifeboats on one side impracticable then launchingof lifeboats on that side at 3 monthly intervalsneed not be carried out. However all suchlifeboats must be lowered at least once every 3months and launched at least annually.

10.3 The launching of lifeboats and rescueboats should normally take place when the ship isalongside or at anchor with little or no tide orcurrent, but if contemplated in circumstanceswhere there is actual or effective headway, suchlaunching must be carried out in accordance withthe guidelines in the Annex to Merchant ShippingNotice M. 1218. (to be replaced by MSN 1722 (M + F).

10.4 A free-fall lifeboat may be lowered to thewater if launching is impracticable, provided thatfree-fall launching with the assigned operatingcrew and manoeuvering in the water is carriedout at least once every six months. If it isimpracticable to launch within a period of sixmonths, the Owners may apply to the MCA foran extension to twelve months.

11 Rescue Boat and Emergency Boat Drills

11.1 As far as is reasonable and practicablerescue boats where carried, other than thosewhich are also lifeboats, must be launched eachmonth with their rescue boat crews andmanoeuvered in the water. The interval betweensuch drills must not exceed 3 months. Whereclimatic conditions permit, the crew of a rescueboat should wear their immersion suits duringsuch in-water drills. Where possible such drillsshould include the recovery of an objectsimulating a person in the water. Emergencyboats carried on passenger ships which do notcarry rescue boats should be launched at similarintervals and should carry out similar drillprocedures.

11.2 In ships of Class I the crews of rescue andemergency boats should be mustered on the firstday of the voyage as soon as possible after sailing.The crews should be fully instructed and drilledin their duties and thereafter should be musteredand similarly drilled at intervals of not more than7 days. Crews should be specifically instructed inthe procedure of sending boats away promptly inan emergency and in recovering boats in aseaway, and should be familiar with the signal formustering at the rescue or emergency boatstation.

12 Davit-launched Liferaft On-BoardTraining

12.1 On-board training in the use of davit-launched liferafts must take place at intervals ofnot more than 4 months on every ship fitted withsuch liferafts. Whenever practicable this training

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includes the inflation and lowering of a liferaft.This liferaft may be a special liferaft intended fortraining purposes only or an old liferaft retainedfor training and not part of the ship’s life-savingequipment. A special liferaft intended for trainingpurposes only is required to be conspicuouslymarked and, if intended to be used for boardingwhen swung out at the embarkation deck, shouldbe serviced at the same intervals as the liferaftsforming part of the ship’s life-saving equipment.

12.2 In preparing an on-board trainingprogramme for davit-launched liferafts theprocedures adopted should take full account ofthe structural arrangements in way of thelaunching positions. For example it may not bepossible to recover an inflated liferaft from anoverside position without subjecting it to the riskof damage. Where procedures described inparagraphs 12.3 and 12.5 cannot be safelyfollowed, other arrangements should be madewhich will enable on-board training of anequivalent standard to be carried out.

12.3 In ships of Classes II and II(A) on regularvoyages, the four monthly on-board training inthe use of davit-launched liferafts should includean inflation of one of the ship’s liferafts. Theseinflations should take place when in port andwhere practical the liferaft should be loweredunloaded onto the quay rather than into thewater. Training in boarding and using the releasehook can be carried out when the liferaft issuspended just clear of the quay. The liferaftshould be landed on a tarpaulin or heavyPolythene sheet to prevent any damage to thebottom of the raft. If it is not practical to land theliferaft on the quay, the boarding and use of therelease hook can be carried out with the liferaftsuspended just clear of the embarkation deckfollowing initial inflation in the overside position.In this case the liferaft need not be lowered overthe side but a weight should be attached to therelease hook and then lowered to exercise thewinch and give crew members practice in thehandling of the winch and fall.

12.4 After this training the liferaft used shouldbe sent for servicing. It is recommended thatdifferent liferafts be used at successive drills inorder to avoid wear on a small number ofliferafts.

12.5 In cargo ships and in passenger ships onirregular voyages, eg Class I cruise ships, thereshould be an inflation of one of the ship’s liferaftsat one of the four monthly on-board training

sessions in the use of davit-launched liferafts. Thetraining should be carried out as described inparagraph 12.3 and the liferaft serviced as soon aspossible after use. On the other two occasions inthe twelve month period when the four monthlyon-board training is carried out, this can be doneusing, for example, a practice raft and practicecontainer. If such training is carried out in port,then the procedure described in paragraph 12.3should be followed. If such training is carried outat sea, means should be provided for suspendingand lowering the raft over a deck to provide theopportunity for boarding and handling therelease hook.

12.6 Alternatively the procedure for shipsengaged on regular voyages can be followed ifthis is more convenient.

13 On-board Instruction, Training andTraining Manuals

13.1 Before being assigned to shipboardduties, all persons employed or engaged on aseagoing ship other than passengers, shall receiveappropriate familiarisation training in compliancewith Reg VI/1 of the STCW95 Convention. Thistraining is in addition to other shore basedtraining required under the STCW95 Convention.Where thermal protective aids are carried everycrew member should be trained in donning theaid while wearing a lifejacket. Crew memberswho have been allocated an immersion suitshould be trained in the donning of the suit andgiven the opportunity to familiarise themselveswith the wearing of the suit.

13.2 Crew members whose emergency dutiesinclude the guidance of passengers, and thesearching and closing down of passenger spacesshould be trained and instructed in these duties.Such training and instruction should cover thematters referred to in 6.1 above, in MGN 5, andshould include the use of procedures for reducingor avoiding panic and the giving of clearreassuring orders. The training should be givenprior to being assigned such duties on Ro-Ropassenger ships and other passenger ships.

13.3 Crew members allocated specific keytasks for the preparation, launching and handlingof lifeboats, rescue boats, liferafts and marineevacuation systems should be trained in thesespecific tasks. Such training should also be givento a sufficient number of crew members to providesubstitutes for the crew members allocated thesekey tasks in the muster list. The importance of

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training, particularly in the handling of totallyenclosed and partially enclosed motor propelledlifeboats fitted with onload release gear and incertain cases with self-contained air support andwater spray systems, cannot be emphasisedenough due to the complexity of such equipment.Training given on board is primarily concernedwith the particular life-saving equipment carriedand is supplementary to shore based traininggiven on personal survival techniques, onproficiency in survival craft and rescue boat, andtraining-courses organised by individual owners.The training should include ship specific practicessuch as the normal sequence for preparing andsafely deploying evacuation systems, launchinglifeboats and liferafts, and all other factors whichdetermine rate of evacuation, and may also coveralternatives to the normal sequence ofdeployment.

13.4 Where on-board training cannot be givenin the use of certain items of life-savingequipment because of practical considerations,on-board instructions in the use of suchequipment is required to be given at the sameintervals as the drills. Instructions are required tobe given in survival procedures including thecauses of and first aid treatment for hypothermia,and first aid measures likely to be practiced in asurvival craft. Instructions include the operationand use of the ship’s liferafts and embarkationarrangements and the use of survival craft andrescue boats in severe weather and sea conditions.Instructions may also include actions to be takenin the event of foreseeable equipment failures.

13.5 The basic information on which theseinstructions will be based will be found in theship’s life-saving appliances training manualwhich contains instructions and information onthe life-saving appliances carried, personalprotective equipment and its location, in additionto information and instructions on survival,hazards of exposure, methods of retrieval andemergency repair of life-saving appliances. Anypart of the information to be included in theTraining Manual may be provided in the form ofaudio-visual aids. Information provided inlifesaving appliances training manuals should becompatible with, and may reproduce, relevantshipboard safety emergency plans which arerequired to be provided in accordance with theInternational Safety Management Code (SOLAS1974 Chapter IX; reference should also be made toMSC/Circ.760 “Guidelines for a Structure of anIntegrated System of Contingency Planning forShipboard Emergencies.”). (See paragraph 15.6)

13.6 The training manual can be used by theofficer or officers whose duty it is to give therelevant instructions and it can also be used as asource of reference and information for everymember of the crew. A copy of the trainingmanual should be accessible to every crewmember and except in certain ships of less than500 GRT, a copy must be provided in eachmessroom and recreation room, or in each cabin.

13.7 In ships with significant numbers of non-English speaking crew members, copies of the fulltraining manual or relevant sections should beprovided in the appropriate language orlanguages.

13.8 The programme of instructions must beso arranged that every subject to be covered,including all parts of the ship’s life-savingsystems can be treated within a two monthperiod. In order to carry out this programme incargo ships, the frequency of holding drills mayhave to be increased beyond that necessary toensure that every crew member participates in anabandon ship and fire drill every month. Frequentshort periods of instruction dealing with a limitednumber of items will be more effective than longsessions dealing with a considerable amount ofsubject matter and held say at monthly intervals.

14 Weekly and Monthly Inspection of LSA

14.1 Weekly and monthly inspections asdescribed in paragraph 14.2 and 14.3 must becarried out on all ships to which the MerchantShipping (Life-Saving Appliances for Ships OtherThan Ships of Classes III to VI(A)) Regulations1999, and the Merchant Shipping (Life-savingAppliances for Passenger Ships of Classes III toVI(A)) Regulations 1999, apply.

14.2 At weekly intervals survival craft, rescueboats and launching appliances must be inspectedto ensure that they are ready for immediate use.Rescue boat and lifeboat engines must be run atweekly intervals. The general emergency alarmsystem must also be tested every week.

14.3 All lifesaving appliances including lifeboatand rescue boat equipment is required to beinspected at monthly intervals. For this purpose thechecklist provided in the instructions for onboardmaintenance is used. This inspection shouldinclude the examination and testing of any fixedradio installations and searchlight equipment, and ensuring that the batteries can be charged from the dynamo when the engine is running.

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14.4 In lifeboats with water spray systems,each system should be tested at intervals of notmore than 3 months in accordance with themanufacturer’s instructions. The system shouldbe flushed through with fresh water after testingwith sea water.

15 Decision Support System

15.1 Passenger ships of Classes I, II and II(A)are required to have a decision support system foremergency management on the navigationbridge. It can be printed on paper, or computerbased, and must identify all foreseeableemergency situations, establish emergencyprocedures for each situation, and providedecisive support to the Master.

15.2 Reference should be made toMSC/Circ.760 “Guidelines for a Structure of anIntegrated System of Contingency Planning forShipboard Emergencies”.

15.3 The Guidelines noted above are intendedto help integrate the various contingency Planscurrently required by SOLAS and MARPOL, intoa structured and consistent format. The Plans arerequired be in a uniform structure, be clear andeasy to understand.

15.4 The Plans must be available in theworking language of the Master, Officers andrelevant crew members, and must beappropriately amended if the working languagechanges.

15.5 Training, drills, and records of such, ofthe Decision Support System, should beintegrated into the overall training regime.

15.6 Copies of MSC/Circ.760 are availablefrom the Marine Information Centre of the MCA:

Tel: 01703 329297Fax: 01703 329298

16 Records

16.1 The date on which musters, drills andtraining sessions are held, the type of drill andtraining held, and the occasions on whichlifeboats, rescue boats and davit-launchedliferafts, as applicable, are lowered or launchedmust be entered in the official log book.

16.2 Where a full muster, drill or trainingsession as required by the Merchant Shipping(Musters Training and Decision Support Systems)

Regulations 1999, is not held a record must bemade of the relevant circumstances and the extentof any muster, drill or training session held.

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