Liferaft testing: UK21/L013
Adopted EU recommendation LSA-056. UK approved recommendation on the testing requirements for liferafts.
Question
According to the IMO Resolution MSC.81(70) Part 1 Para 12.6.2. “It should be demonstrated at sea by a full deployment of a system, including the launching and inflation of the associated liferafts, that the system will provide a satisfactory means of evacuation in a sea state associated with a wind of force 6 on the Beaufort scale, and in association with a significant wave height of at least 3 m.”
If a manufacturer of a type-examined marine evacuation system (MES) wishes to use any other associated liferafts of a different type, or if a manufacturer of approved liferafts wishes to have his liferafts type-examined as associated liferafts for use with the marine evacuation system, would this require the heavy weather sea test and others involving the associated liferafts to be performed?
Recommendation
Yes. Any liferaft used in conjunction with an MES must be tested to the requirements of MSC.81(70) Part 1 Para 12.6.2, i.e. It should be demonstrated at sea by a full deployment of a system, including the launching and inflation of the associated liferafts (not tested previously), that the system will provide a satisfactory means of evacuation in a sea state associated with a wind of force 6 on the Beaufort scale, and in association with a significant wave height of at least 3 m.
When issuing an approval certificate for an MES, it shall list the liferafts that have been tested and may be used with the MES.
References
• MSC.81(70)
• MSN 1874 as amended
• The Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2016 as amended
Items affected
• UK/5.6
• UK/4.29 and UK/4.47 are also indirectly affected by MSC 471(101)
More information
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/21
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Telephone: +44 (0) 203 817 2000
Email: MEQA@mcga.gov.uk
Website: www.gov.uk/mca