Life rafts are survival equipment provided as a life-saving appliance on every seagoing merchant or passenger ship, in addition to the lifeboats.
Life rafts are much easier to launch than lifeboats. In emergencies, evacuation from the ship can be done without manually launching any of them, as the life rafts are designed with an auto-inflatable system.
SOLAS Chapter III gives all the details for types and the number of life rafts to be carried as per the size and type of the ship.
Table of Contents
Where Are Liferafts Located On Ships?
Life rafts are normally located on the muster station, on the port and starboard side near the lifeboat, and fwd and aft of the ship. The location generally depends on the size of the ship.
Life rafts are stored in a fibreglass container, with a high-pressure gas used to inflate life rafts during an emergency.
A Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) is connected to the raft container and ship, which releases the raft even after the vessel sinks in water.
The particulars of the raft are stencilled on the container, which includes the capacity, manufacturing date, servicing date, company name etc., along with the launching procedure with a photogenic display for easy understanding.
The essential survival items are already stored in the raft, including rations, pyrotechnics, life jackets etc.
Some ships carry a davit launching system that allows the crew to inflate and board the raft on the deck, avoiding the risk of entering the seawater.
Important Solas Requirements For Life Rafts
All liferaft provided on ships should be bestowed with its painter permanently attached to the vessel.
Each liferaft or group of liferafts should be stowed with a float-free arrangement complying with the requirements so that each floats free. If it is an inflatable raft, it should inflate automatically when the ship sinks.
Liferafts should be stowed to permit the manual release of one raft or container at a time from the securing arrangements.
Davit-launched liferafts should be stowed within reach of the lifting hooks unless some transfer is provided, which is not rendered inoperable within the limits of trim and list as required or by ship motion or power failure.
Liferafts intended for throw-overboard launching should be stowed to be readily transferable for launching on either side of the ship.
at intervals not exceeding 12 months (if impracticable, the administration may extend this period to 17 months)
at proper service stations with proper servicing facilities and trained professionals
Davit-launched liferaft automatic release hooks should be maintained following instructions for onboard maintenance
Essential Requirements for Liferafts and Carrying Capacity
The liferaft of any ship needs to follow the regulations mentioned in SOLAS. Some of the important points regarding liferafts are:
The lift raft should be capable of withstanding exposure for 30 days afloat in all sea conditions
When dropped into the water from a height of 18 metres, the life raft and all equipment in it will operate satisfactorily.
The floating life raft should be capable of withstanding repeated jumps on it from a height of at least 4.5 metres above its floor, both with and without the canopy erected
It can be towed at 3 knots with its complete equipment, complement of persons and one anchor streaming.
Canopy to provide insulation and protection against heat and cold by two layers of material separated by an air gap
Interior to be of a non-discomforting colour
It shall admit sufficient air for the occupants at all times, even when the entrance is closed
It shall be provided with at least one viewing port
It will be given with a means of collecting rainwater
It shall be provided with a tool to mount a survival craft radar transponder (SART) at the height of at least 1 meter above the sea level
It shall have sufficient headroom for the sitting occupants under all parts of the canopy
The minimum carrying capacity must be at least six persons
The maximum weight of its container, as well as the equipment, should not exceed 185 kilos
The life raft shall be fitted with an efficient painter of length equal to the minimum of 10 metres plus the distance from the stowed position to the waterline in the lightest seagoing condition or 15 metres, whichever is greater
A manually controlled lamp shall be fitted on the top of the canopy, and the light shall be white, and it must operate for at least 12 hours with a luminous intensity of not less than 4.3 candela
If the flashlight is fitted, it shall flash at a rate of not less than 50 flashes and not more than 70 flashes per minute for the 12 hours that it burns
A manually controlled lamp shall be fitted inside the life raft, capable of continuous operation for at least 12 hours
When the liferaft is loaded with a full complement of persons and equipment, it should be capable of withstanding a lateral impact against the ship side at an impact velocity of not less than 3.5m/s and also drop into the water from a height of not less than 3 metres without damage
CO2 does inflation with a small quantity of N2, which acts as an anti-freezing element. Also, CO2 is non-flammable and weighs more than air, adding buoyancy to the raft. The freezing point of CO2 is -78 degrees so that it can inflate life rafts at shallow temperatures
Location on a ship:
– Forward
– At embarkation stations on both port and starboard sides
The painter breaking strength should be:
– 15kN for 25 people and more
– 10 kN for 9 to 24 people
– 7.5 kN Rest (6-9)
Safety Features on a Liferaft
Some of the main safety features on a liferaft are:
Pressure relief valve
Stabilizing pocket
Insulated canopy with two layers for protection against heat and cold
Important Liferaft Equipment
All liferafts on ships are fitted with the following equipment:
Rescue quoits with minimum 30-metre lines
Non-folding knives with buoyant handles
For 12 persons or less, one bailer. For more than 13 persons, 2 bailers should be kept.
Two sponges
Two buoyant paddles
Three tin openers
Two sea anchors
One pair of scissors
One first aid waterproof kit
One whistle
One waterproof torch for communicating morse code with one spare set of batteries and bulb
One signalling mirror/heliograph
One radar reflector
One life-saving signal waterproof card
One fishing tackle
Food ration totalling not less than 10000 kJ for each person
Water ration- 1.5 litres of fresh water for each person
One rustproof graduated drinking vessel
Anti-seasickness medicine is sufficient for at least 48 hours, and one seasickness bag for each person.
Instructions on how to survive (Survival booklet)
Instructions on immediate action
TPA is sufficient for 10% of the number of persons or two, whichever is greater
Cut the painter using the knife, paddle, or anchor, clear away from the ship.
If the life raft inflates and is upside down, the raft has a righting strap capable of stabilizing it. Climb onto the CO2 cylinder and pull it in the same direction as the wind to do so.
Lower the davit and lock it with the lifting shackle
Secure canister lines outboard
Secure browsing line
Pull the painter out approximately 5-6 metres
Secure the painter’s line
Pull the entire length of the painter
Now lift the life raft canister to some height
Pull the painter sharply and let it inflate
After it inflates, secure the liferaft
One person should go in and make some checks
Collect the SART and EPIRB
Go inside and sit evenly
Release the bowsing line and pass to the raft
Check if the launching area is clear
Lower the raft using the brake release
Operate hook release 1m above the water or allow the raft to ride a crest of the wave to put the load on the water, and it will automatically release
Cut the painter and clear away
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a life raft?
A life raft is a small, inflatable, rigid boat carried onboard a ship. It can be used for evacuation in case of an emergency or disaster on the vessel. It is essential safety equipment.
2. What all things do a life raft carry?
A life raft must have all the basic items needed for survival at sea. It should have some rations, pyrotechnics and life jackets. Some vessels have a davit launching system which enables the crew to inflate the raft and board it on the deck instead of lowering it first into seawater.
3. How many types of life rafts are there?
There are three kinds of life rafts, namely offshore, coastal and ocean-going life rafts. Platforms are designed to keep survivors out of the water while they wait to be rescued.
4. What is the difference between a lifeboat and a liferaft?
Lifeboats may or may not be inflatable. They can have fibreglass or wooden hull as well. However, liferafts are strictly inflatable and come with auto-inflation devices like mechanical pumps or Co2 canisters.
5. How many persons can a life raft hold?
A life raft comes in different sizes and is made of sturdy material like neoprene or polyurethane fabric. Usually, they can accommodate at least six people.
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