Dangerous lifeboats

Letter from Capt Peter Donoclift FNI, commenting on Capt Dennis Barber's article "Dangerous lifeboats - a race to oblivion?" in Seaways August 2006

Seaways October 2006

Captain Barber is to be complimented on his excellent feature article in the August issue of Seaways. He has certainly hit the nail on the head with some of his comments about the inabilities of those who should be moving the subject forward and who are apparently waiting for the technology to achieve this. As he says, it is not rocket science. Of course there are commercial considerations to be taken into account as well – however I will not dwell too much on that subject.
The article comments on the psychological and physiological aspects of attempting to launch a boat, especially in anything other than a flat calm. The discussion on the merits or demerits of release systems will continue, perhaps in the hope that given some time it will go away. This will not happen.
Anyway, enough of this criticism – it will get us nowhere. Captain Barber has set his cap towards float-off accommodation modules (Foam) and perhaps he is correct to do so. However there are two aspects in this philosophy that have to be taken into account. One is the evacuation of crew members from a stricken cargo (general, bulk, tanker etc) vessel where numbers are relatively low and manageable (maybe in the order of 20 or fewer) and the other is the evacuation of very large numbers of persons from a stricken passenger vessel (maybe in the order of 6,000). These are two completely different scenarios.
Release mechanisms for the current generation of lifeboats are generally accepted as not ideal – but being the devil people know are better, so they think, than the devil they don’t know. In other words no one has come up with an alternative. There is an alternative to ‘on load’ hooks based on a vacuum system. This author has developed a system that is simple and effective; the system concept is available for further discussion. Also, the system could easily be modified to take into account the launching of free fall lifeboats.
Taking a harder look at Foam, this is a system that could be developed without any great degree of new technology. In fact no new technology is needed, just a little different thinking. I want to comment on the method of launch of a Foam. If possible, the situation/location should be as high as possible preferably on top of accommodation and readily accessible from all parts of the vessel. As Captain Barber states, the majority of vessels, when in extremis, will sink by the head or the stern so perhaps aft and high would be the best location.
A thought occurs: if the Foam were mounted in a ‘gimbals’ system, which would not have to be machine finished (bearings), allowing a swing of say 60 degrees, there may be reduced risk of premature launch and a far more positive physiologically acceptable attitude than if it were in a fixed mode. A system of bumpers and guides would ensure the location in the cradle did not change and if required, the release could be activated via a vacuum system or explosive bolts.
To move on to the evacuation, or not, of large passenger vessels: the general consensus and growing opinion seem to be that evacuation of a very large passenger vessel is a very difficult, if not impossible task. Perhaps Admiral Lang’s comments carry more realistic prophesies than people think.
There must be some kind of alternative to the overall concept of using lifeboats to save lives when so many people are involved in a crisis. Perhaps the very basics of passenger ship design should be looked at by those with forethought and imagination. Current designs are purely commercial, demanding the maximum amount of money-earning space and layout. This concept is acceptable just as long as it does not jeopardise safety and the ability to protect passengers and crew.
As stated above, maybe radical rethinking can be brought into play here. Perhaps an alternative may be longitudinal sub-division (say three sections) separated by void spaces containing continuous fire walls and deluge systems that would allow passengers to move from one side of the vessel to the other, away from danger, instead of gathering each side in an attempt to board lifeboats.

Captain Peter Donoclift FNI, Alicate, Spain