200720 Seat allocation in free-fall lifeboats

Companies and masters on vessels equipped with free-fall lifeboats are advised to ensure the allocation of two vital seating positions to the most experienced and appropriate crew members.

It has been observed on some ships that while the senior deck officer has been assigned the coxswain’s seat in a free fall lifeboat, the seat from where the emergency release mechanism can be operated has been inadvertently left unassigned or has even been allocated to a supernumerary.

This emergency release operating mechanism is usually located near the stern of the boat. In the event that the main lifeboat release mechanism, operated from the coxswain’s seat, fails to launch the lifeboat, it is vital that a responsible person, seated near the emergency release mechanism control, operates this promptly under the coxswain’s orders, to ensure safe and quick abandonment from the stricken ship.