IMO Design & Equipment Sub Committee (DE53)
Posted by admin on March 5, 2010 under ISM Code | 
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Lifeboats and Life Saving Appliances - Committee Outcome
Last week, the 53rd session of the IMO’s Design and Equipment Sub-committee (DE53) gathered to discuss issues related to lifeboat hooks and release mechanisms, service/inspection of lifeboats and recovery systems.
Replacement of Hook/Release mechanisms
In order to reduce the number of accidents with lifeboats, and particularly those which have occurred during drills or inspections involving davit-launched lifeboats, draft guidelines were developed last week to assist administrations, ship owners and managers in identifying existing release mechanisms which do not meet a set of new and stricter release mechanism criteria approved last year by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 86).
The criteria, which are contained in draft amendments to SOLAS and the Life Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, are expected to be adopted at MSC 87 in May this year – thus becoming mandatory in 2012. They will require the replacement of existing release mechanisms not complying with the following criteria:
- The mechanism shall be designed so that, when it is fully reset in the closed position, the weight of the lifeboat does not cause any force to be transmitted to the operating mechanism, which could cause the inadvertent release of the lifeboat.
- Locking devices shall be designed so that they cannot turn to open due to forces from the hook load.
- If a hydrostatic interlock is provided, it shall automatically reset upon lifting the boat from the water.
The draft guidelines referred to above call for a design review of existing release mechanisms (hooks) to be conducted by Administrations or their recognised organisations (ROs) against the above three criteria using suitable design documentation, such as drawings, etc. The draft guidelines also say that the design review should take into account anticipated wear and tear of critical parts over the service life of the mechanism. However, no quantitative basis for specifying how wear and tear is to be taken into account (which may well vary for different designs) has been developed. This may therefore be left to each individual administration or RO to determine.
If the design review reveals that the mechanism does not comply with the criteria, or if a design review cannot be carried out because design documentation is not available, all installed mechanisms of that type should be replaced at the earliest opportunity and no later than the next scheduled dry-docking after the date on which the draft amendments to SOLAS enter into force. Until the mechanisms are replaced Fall Preventer Devices (FPDs) should be used in accordance with MSC.1/Circ.1327
The draft guidelines also include a ” hook stability test” , although some governments raised objections to the inclusion of such a test. A final decision as to whether the test will stay in the guidelines will be taken by MSC 87 in May.
However, this test, if it does stay in the guidelines, should be carried out on a one-time basis onboard individual ships in the presence of an authorised service provider, as per MSC.1/Circ.1277, under the witness of the Administration or their RO. The test procedure is as follows:
- With the lifeboat empty, the load should be removed from the release hooks either by lowering the boat into the water, or if this is not practicable, transferring the load of the lifeboat to maintenance pendants.
- With the load removed, and the hooks completely and properly reset and engaged, completely disconnect the actuating cable or other operating linkage from each hook of the release mechanism.
- With all personnel clear of the lifeboat, and the hooks in the ready to launch condition with all locking devices removed, attempt to lift the boat a very short distance, or just clear of the water.
The hooks should remain closed throughout the test while under load and if any hook opens during the test, all other hooks of the same type should be tested in the case of cargo ships, or at least 20% of hooks of the same type should be tested in the case of passenger ships. If the hooks do not remain closed throughout the test while under load, the hooks should be replaced at the earliest available opportunity and no later than the next scheduled dry-docking after the date on which the draft amendments to SOLAS enter into force. Until the hooks are replaced, additional safety measures, including the use of FPDs, in accordance with MSC.1/Circ.1327, should be employed.
This test is not a substitute for a thorough design review, but is intended to be used by shipowners and managers to give an early indication of suspect hooks and thereby allow risk mitigation measures to be implemented and early replacement planning decisions to be taken.
Yet to be decided and developed is a reporting scheme for Administrations to report the results to the IMO. Many questions remain unanswered. For example, if contradictory reports are received, how will Administrations or their recognised organisations then decide on the eventual replacement of such mechanisms?
