Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

Schedules

Second Schedule

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974

Annex

Chapter III : Live-Saving Appliances, etc.

Part C — Cargo Ships Only

Regulation 36 : Davits and launching arrangements

Purchase

(a)	In cargo ships lifeboats and liferafts shall be stowed to the satisfaction of the Administration.

(b)	Every lifeboat shall be attached to a separate set of davits.

(c)

Lifeboats and liferafts for which approved launching devices are required to be carried shall preferably be positioned as close to accommodation and service spaces as possible. They shall be stowed in such positions as to ensure safe launching, having particular regard to clearance from the propeller and steeply overhanging portions of the hull, with the object of ensuring so far as practicable that they can be launched down the straight side of the ship. If positioned forward they shall be stowed abaft the collision bulkhead in a sheltered position and in this respect the Administration shall give special consideration to the strength of the davits.

(d)	Davits shall be of approved design and shall be suitably placed to the satisfaction of the Administration.

(e)

In tankers of 1600 tons gross tonnage and upwards, ships employed as whale factory ships, ships employed as fish processing or canning factory ships and ships engaged in the carriage of persons employed in the whaling, fish processing or canning industries, all davits shall be of the gravity type. In other ships, davits shall be as follows:

(i)	Luffing or gravity type for operating lifeboats weighing not more than 2300 kilogrammes (21¼ tons) in their turning out condition;

(ii)	gravity type for operating lifeboats weighing more than 2300 kilogrammes (21¼ tons) in their turning out condition.

(f)	Davits, falls, blocks and all other gear shall be of such strength that the lifeboats, can be turned out manned by a launching crew and then safely lowered with the full complement of persons and equipment, with the ship listed to 15 degrees either way, and with a 10 degree trim.

(g)	Skates or other suitable means shall be provided to facilitate launching the lifeboats against a list of 15 degrees.

(h)	Means shall be provided for bringing the lifeboats against the ship’s side and there holding them so that persons may be safely embarked.

(i)

Lifeboats, together with the emergency boats required by subparagraph (b) (ii) of Regulation 35 of this Chapter, shall be served by wire rope falls, together with winches of an approved type which, in the case of the emergency boats, shall be capable of quick recovery of those boats. Exceptionally, the Administration may allow manila rope falls or falls of another approved material with or without winches (except that the emergency boats shall be required to be served by winches which are capable of quick recovery of those boats) where they are satisfied that manila rope falls or falls of another approved material are adequate.

(j)

At least two lifelines shall be fitted to the davit spans, and the falls and lifelines shall be long enough to reach the water with the ship at its lightest seagoing draught and listed to 15 degrees either way. Lower fall blocks shall be fitted with a suitable ring or long link for attaching to the sling hooks unless an approved type of disengaging gear is fitted.

(k)

Where mechanically powered appliances are fitted for the recovery of the lifeboats, efficient hand gear shall also be provided. Where davits are recovered by action of the falls by power, safety devices shall be fitted which will automatically cut off the power before the davits come against the stops in order to avoid overstressing the wire rope falls or davits.

(l)

Lifeboats shall have the falls ready for service, and arrangements shall be made for speedily, but not necessarily simultaneously, detaching the lifeboats from the falls. The point of attachment of the lifeboats to the falls shall be at such height above the gunwale as to ensure stability when lowering the lifeboats.

(m)

In ships employed as whale factory ships, ships employed as fish processing or canning factory ships and ships engaged in the carriage of persons employed in the whaling, fish processing or canning industries, in which there are carried lifeboats and liferafts in accordance with subparagraph (b) (i) (2) of Regulation 35 no approved launching devices need be provided for the liferafts, but there shall be provided such devices sufficient in number, in the opinion of the Administration, to enable the liferafts carried in accordance with subparagraph (b) (i) (1) of that Regulation to be put into the water loaded with the number of persons they are permitted to accommodate, in not more than 30 minutes in calm conditions. Approved launching devices so provided shall, so far as practicable, be distributed equally on each side of the ship. Every liferaft carried on ships in which an approved launching device is required to be provided shall be of a type which is capable of being launched by such a device.